Forced To Grow Up
by Gale'sTheGoodGuy
Summary: Life in District 12 isn't easy, and happiness is hard to come by. The life of a certain hunter from the Seam who befriends a scrawny girl inspecting his snares and falls in love with her. Galeniss/Everthorne/Kale! Minor, one-sided Everlark and Gadge. Completely Pre-THG.
1. Strangers

**Hey, readers! This is my first attempt at writing FanFiction, so please review. Any and all constructive criticism is appreciated. **

Stranger

Everything was just perfect until two hours ago. I was at the edge of the woods, right beside the fence that kept the population of district 12 inside the boundaries of Panem's worst district. Like everybody else, I never dared crossing the fence. But, it still didn't stop some people from going into the woods. It never stopped my father. He used to venture into the woods with one of friends from the mines, Fred. Fred used to bring his daughter along with him to the woods. Dad said she was 2 years younger to me. He said she was beautiful too, although I have never seen her myself. How dare Fred bring a beautiful, delicate 11 year old girl into those terrifying woods. I don't know if I should call it terrifying, I was never terrified of the woods, I was afraid of the punishment it brought. I went into the woods once too, with my father. That day, while we were heading back home after a day in the woods, we saw blood flowing through the cracks of the tiles of the town square. A man screaming in pain at a distance and the sound of the whip cracking. _That_ terrified me. Fred was there with us that day too. But he didn't bring his daughter. Damn it. I wanted to see her. I remember my dad praising her beauty and courage last night. I remember each and every word of our conversation.

"Hey young man!" he said as he entered our home in the Seam and hugged me.

"Hello dad." I reply.

"Do you know? I met Fred's daughter today, although not in the woods. I met that young girl at the Hob."

"The Hob?" I asked in astonishment.

"Don't be so shocked, boy. She's fearless, not like you." he teased.

"Dad! Don't call me a coward."

"So you're not afraid of anything, huh?"

"No."

"What about the woods? You got scared of them once you saw that man getting whipped for poaching." he teased me.

"Dad, I was 12 at the time. I was still a kid!"

"You're still a kid." he laughed, "Well, you know? That girl, she's perfect for you. You're rebellious, she's fearless. She needs rebellious ideas and you need a little more courage." then his voice dropped down to a whisper, "You two can bring down the damn capitol together. Sometimes, I imagine you guys' toasting." he laughed again.

"Dad, how can you imagine our toasting when I haven't even seen her once. I don't even know her name!"

"Everything...will happen eventually."

"Dad, please tell me her name." I request.

"Oh boy, don't be so eager. I tell you her name when the time is right."

"Dad! Please tell me about her!" I was eager.

"Okay, as you say. Deep grey Seam eyes, just like yours. Straight black hair, pulled into a long braid down her back. Think that's enough for now?"

"Dad, please, tell me some more!"

"She's good with a bow and arrow."

"I'm good with snares."

"She can set a few basic snares too."

"I can set the complex ones, with ease." I grumbled. "I want to know her name."

"What's the bargain?" he asked.

"A bear hug?"

"Okay. So, she's Ka-"

"Chris!" mom interrupted, "When did come back?" she approached us and kissed him lightly on the lips. It felt a little awkward, seeing your parents kiss, in front of you.

"Son, would you like to join your brothers in the other room? I need to talk to your dad." she said, never taking her eyes off dad.

"But her name, dad?" I object.

"Tomorrow, when I come back home from work, you'll have her name."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Until then, spend tomorrow's school hours searching the hallways for the girl with deep, Grey Seam eyes and a long black braid down her back."

"But dad, all of the Seam girls have grey eyes and black hair."

"You got it wrong son, deep grey eyes and long black braid down her back. Now off to your brothers, and good luck hunting her down. Good night."

"Fine."

"My bear hug?" dad asked me.

"With the name," I chime.

"Gale, go now." Mom said as she leaned into dad.

"Good night dad! Good night mom!" I said merrily.

"Good night, Gale. Go, your brothers are waiting for you." mom said.

"My brothers are a mess." I muttered as I entered the room the three of us share.

* * *

I was practicing the snares dad taught me. While trying to set a basic one, I ended up inventing a very complex snare. When an animal got caught in it, it got yanked up into the air, away from the reach of other predators. This one was similar to the twitch up snares dad taught me. Only difference, it killed the animal instantly, relieving it of it's misery.

Oh my God! I was good with setting up snares but never designed any myself. 'This was great! Dad would be so proud of me!' I thought. I wanted to show him the snare, hear him say, "I'm proud of you, Gale." I ran all the way to the mines. It was almost the miners' release time. I wanted that the first face dad saw after exiting those hideous, dungeon-like mine, would be mine.

5:59 pm.

The release time bell would sound any moment now. Then I hear something, not the release time bell, but an explosion, then the siren.

The siren. My father gets it wrong. I'm not just afraid of the woods. I dread that siren too.

"Gale! Gale!" my brothers called out from behind. They were running and all winded out. "Gale! Thank God we found you! We are both so scared and mom, we don't know where she is. Gale, we're scared."

"I'm scared too." I admit, then I command, "Vick, Rory, you both stay right here, don't go anywhere and stay together. I'll go get mom, okay?"

And then I ran, ran towards the Seam, and then on the way, I saw her. "Mom!"

Now I am sitting huddled with my family, only one thought in my mind, _dad, you need to come out of that mine, now._

They announce it now, what I am most scared of, my biggest fear.

"There are no more survivers." At this, many people burst out crying. "We may request you to please head back to your homes. We are very sorry for your loss."

I am suddenly on my feet, charging towards the mine's gate. "You can't say that! Look properly!" I yelled at the manager, "He's still in there! Look for him!"

"Hawthorne," the manager's voice is calmly persuasive, "Boy, listen to me. We have already done that. We checked thoroughly." He sighes, "Hawthorne, I knew your father personally. He and another of his crewmates, Fred, were the best miners we had. Boy, I don't want to say this, but...he...he's not coming back."

His words hit me like bricks. I fall to my knees and don't realize when tears start rolling down my cheeks. A hand comes to rest on my shoulder and squeezes it. I hear my mother's sniffles and know she's been crying for a while now. I softly whisper to her, "Is he really not coming back?"

"Yes, Gale." She whispers back, and immediately breaks down. "The manager is right, Gale. He's not coming back! He left me alone!" She says in between her sobs.

"We need to head back home, Gale," she says when her sobs die down, "I can't keep the kids here when it's so late. Come."

"Mom, you go. I'll be back in a few minutes." I say before I have time to think. She has to know that I need some privacy, away from her and my brothers, to mourn my father's death. I expected her to protest, but all she manages to choke out is "Okay."

I don't know how much time has gone by since my family left. I just sit there, elbows on my knees, staring at a distant spot, tears threatening to spill out. I lose my ability to do anything. I can't speak, couldn't respond to people's unnecessary sympathy.

My stupor is broken by the manager's announcement. "We again request you all to please head back to your homes. The weather conditions are worsening, and it will start snowing soon. Thank you."

As soon he mentions 'snow', most of the crowd starts filing out of the area that held the dead miner's families. All of those people are from the Seam, where you have to struggle to keep yourself warm, patch up holes in your tiny home's walls to prevent the snow entering. All these people have lost at least one relative or friend today, yet, poverty didn't give them that right to just sit idle and mourn them. The Capitol, they wouldn't allow it. How can they? How do they keep the districts in line, then? I hate the Capitol more than anyone else. I feel that anger bubble up inside me. I want to shout out horrible things about the Capitol, but I suppress the urge. There are many peacekeepers around, and I don't want to be whipped for being treasonous. Instead, I diverge my attention to the only other family remaining here. There is a young Seam girl, maybe an year or two younger to me, head buried in her arms, crying bitterly. A younger girl with blonde hair wrapped her arms around her and whispered something into her ear. I think it was supposed to calm her down, but it did the opposite. She started sobbing more intensely and yelled at the little girl, "He'll not come back, Prim! He'll never come out of those dingy mines now!"

I turn my full attention to this girl now. Maybe she lost her father too. Another older, blonde woman comes up to the younger one.

"Prim," she says, "leave her alone for now, she'll be fine." And then she walks away with the younger girl, whose name, I think, is Prim.

It starts snowing, as expected. And now it's just me and her, crying for our fathers, wishing they would come back to us, something which is impossible now. I don't know why, but I get up and take a few small steps towards her. I notice she is shivering in the cold, snow dust lining her dark hair and she's muttering to herself, "Why did you go? Why did you go away? What do I do?" Suddenly, I feel more sympathy for her than for myself. I can't stand the thought of losing my father, too, but she seems broken. I feel like going to her and rub her back, tell her that it's going to be okay. But I can't bring myself to do it, because deep inside, I know that I'm broken too. I just can't let my feelings out. I am just trying to be strong when I know that not crying will only crush me more. I see my own pain in her. I can feel it. I can feel her. Dad used to say that I could see through a person. I never believed him. But today, when he's no more, I feel he was right. I can see through her. I don't know what to do, so I just crouch down beside her.

I don't know how much time passed sitting here, maybe an hour or so. She is still sobbing, but much more faintly. I am still silent. I don't think she knows I am sitting beside her, looking at her with pitiful eyes, when I see a something. The dark silhouette of a boy walking towards us. When he comes up close, I see he has blonde hair and blue eyes. Ugh, bloody townie! He looks about her age, though. I think I recognize him. But when I do, I know who he is. He's the baker's youngest son.

I don't know what he wants, and am too weak to ask, so I just keep glaring at him. Then, what he does takes me aback. He holds out a blanket, and wraps it around her shoulders. Then he looks at me, and mouths a SORRY. He comes up to me and whispers into my ear, "I'm so sorry, but I had only one."

"Why did you give her a blanket?" I whisper back. "After all, she's a Seam girl. You're a townie."

"I can spend a cold night if it means keeping her warm."

What did he just say? He gave up his blanket for her? Usually the town boys are too arrogant for Seam girls. This guy seems like an exception.

The warmth seems get the girl's attention, a little. She slowly raises her head, glares at me, studying me. Then she weakly say, "Yelling helps."

"What?" I say in disbelief.

"If you're too strong to cry, then yell. Scream. It helps."

I think I take her advice seriously, because as soon as she stops speaking, I'm on my feet. I take a few steps forward and start yelling, "Dad! Dad, why did you go? Why? You promised, dad! You promised you would tell me her name! You said... You said you would tell her name when came back from the mines today. Come back!" I start crying, "the girl with the deep grey Seam eyes and the long black braid down her back! You said she's perfect for me! Her name! How do I find her now? My snares! I designed a snare myself. All by myself! I didn't learn it from anybody! I thought you'd be proud of me! Dad!" I completely break down now. I can't keep acting strong forever. I fall to my knees and continue sobbing. "What... What about my... Bear hug? Think about mom! She said she'll have a daughter. Will my sister never see your face? Dad, please don't do this to her." I plead. "Dad, I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry."

"Daddy!" she cries out and goes through another round of sobbing.

I crawl back beside her. We cry together for god knows how long. When my tears dry down, I feel much better. I must thank this girl for her advice. But she's still sniffling, and I don't want her to cry again. So, I just choke out a whisper, "Thank you, yelling helps. Why don't you try it now?"

She says nothing, just looks up at me. Then she closes her eyes, and I think she is trying to regulate her breathing. Just when I thought she she was going to stay silent, she starts speaking. She doesn't yell, like I did. Just whispers.

"Daddy, if you can hear me right now, I just want to say, that... All of us, me, Prim, mom... We'll miss you. Mom, she can't live without you. The look on her face when they announced that you wouldn't come back, I knew she'd stop living too. Prim, she's such a sweet little baby, so innocent, so harmless, yet she lost her loving father at 7. She doesn't think you're dead. She asked me to come home and not worry about you. You'll come home sooner or later. She thinks that maybe your shift was too long. Dad, please forgive me. I have allowed myself just this one night to mourn your death. Just until the crack of dawn. I can see what's coming up in the future. I know I have to be strong for Prim. Tomorrow, when the sun rises, I wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't be crying. I would be different. I would be fearless. I would do anything it takes to keep Prim alive. But I'll always be your little kitten. I promise. Please, show me direction. I love you, daddy. I miss you."

I just stare at her in awe, all the while she speaks. How has she managed to keep her voice so calm? According to her words, her mother is going into a deep depression. Her sister isn't older than 6. Doesn't seem to have any other people in her family. Is she going to become the head of the family? At such a tender age? I don't know what happens to me, but, I feel pity for her. Suddenly, I want to care for her. This girl, unknown to me, has such an effect on me, which I can't define. She is so young, so tender, so... so... so beautiful. I audibly sigh at the thought. Beautiful. This girl shouldn't be burdened with such a heavy responsibility. I am young and good looking too, but she is just adorable. This just shouldn't happen to her. This so unfair!

"Yelling wouldn't help me." Her words snap me out of my daze.

"Why?" I ask curiously.

"It just wouldn't." she replies. I don't press on it too.

Having clearing my mind of my thoughts, I realize how much the crying has exhausted me. I feel tired. So, I just press my knees again my chest, locked my head in my hands and let myself slip away.

* * *

"Dad? Is that you?" I ask. I see him standing right there. He says something, but I can't hear it.

"Dad, please speak louder. I can't hear you." I request.

He continues saying something, and I still don't catch it. Then, he begin to fade away.

"Dad! Where are you going? You can't go! At least tell me what you were saying." I shout. "You can't go! No!" His voice suddenly rises to a thousand decibel now.

"Gale, I need to go. I really need to. No other option, it seems. I'm sorry." he says, "Take care of your mom and your siblings, all three of them. They need you. Bet you'll have a beautiful sister, just like your mother. Goodbye." And he disappears into thin air.

* * *

I wake up with a start, gasping for air. It was a dream. No, nightmare. Whatever dad said in that nightmare was extremely true. My family need me. I need to take care of them, not let them starve. Because if I don't, then who would? Mom can't, with a baby due in weeks to come, and my brothers are too young. No, I don't need to, I _have_ to take of my family. I would do anything it takes to keep them alive. Dad died, and I loved him a lot, still do, but I can't keep mourning him forever. I have to move on, for my family. And with a steely resolve for my devotion to my family, I rise from my sitting position. But when I do, a blanket falls to the ground. It was probably draped around my shoulder. Well, the way it fell down and how I immediately feel cold shows it was. But when I take a good look at the blanket, I realize, this isn't just any blanket, it's the one the baker's kid gave to the girl sitting beside me last night. This blanket was given to this mystery girl, not me, so how did it end up on me?

I look around in hopes of finding her, but I fail. I had completely forgotten about her when I woke up, and now, she isn't here. She's gone. I don't find her, but a little piece of paper lying in the snow, near my foot. I bend down to pick it up and see it's not just a mare piece of paper...its a note. this is what it reads -

_Hey stranger,_

_Than you for the blanket. My time to return the favor._

_\- The sobbing girl_

This girl left me a thank you note, for the blanket. Only, it wasn't me whom she should have thanked. She does whatever she wants, what can I do?

I still want to meet her, know her. Two strangers facing the same problem, still able to comfort each other when in pain. Such two people would make amazing friends. But I don't even know her bloody name. Ugh! God knows why I suck at knowing the names of all the girls I come across. First, Fred's daughter, then this mystery girl.

I think I shouldn't concentrate on these girls for now, my family needs me and I give them more importance than anyone else. With this, I decide to return home. My mom would be waiting for me, worried sick. After all, I didn't go home all night. But still, guess its better to go to the bakery first. It'll be fun having a talk with that Mellark boy. This boy has a crush on the mystery girl, sacrificed a night's warmth to make an impression on her, and she thinks it was me who gave her the blanket.

I chuckle to myself at the thought. Let's go break his heart. So with that in mind, I start for the bakery.

Its a long walk to the bakery. I'll have to first cross the entire Seam, walk past the Hob, and then reach the town, which contains the town square, which has the bakery. As I stride across a particular house at the edge of the Seam, I hear singing. A girl's voice. And it's beautiful, and overwhelmingly mesmerizing. So I just stand there leaning my ear against the door of this specific house, listening to this beautiful song. This girl just sings so amazing. Ah...girls get to me so easily. I add this one to my find-the-girl's-name list.

As I begin to wonder if this door I'm leaning against is strong enough to bear my weight and wouldn't swing open if I stand there a moment longer, the song ends. This now allows me to go back to my business.

When I am nearing the bakery after that awfully long walk, I wonder at what time the bakery opens. It was around dawn when I had woken up, and the sun now peeks a little above the horizon. Its going to be shit if the bakery isn't open.

To my relief, the bakery _is_ open, and at the counter is sitting the sweet-sweet Mr. Mellark, not his witch of a wife. I enter the bakery and greet the baker, "Morning, Mr. Mellark."

"Oh, hello, kid. What brings you here today?" He asks in his usual sweet tone.

"Actually, Mr. Mellark..." I hesitate a little. I don't know if this kid's parents would be happy about the give-up-my-blanket thingy, or even if he has told them. better talk to him directly. "I need to talk to your son. The youngest one."

"Oh, Peeta, I'll call him," He turns to the kitchen door, "Peeta! Someone's here to see you!" He calls out. "Come quick!"

"Coming!" _Peeta _replies. Moments later, the kitchen door flies open and out comes Peeta Mellark.

"Who is it, dad?" This boy seems to take after his father. Too sweet and polite. He peers over his father's shoulder, and when he sees me, his wide as hell grin falters.

_Must've expected to see the mystery girl, not me. _I think, _Poor boy._

"Hello there," I greet him.

"Hi," He says back, not so happy now.

"I think I should leave you two boys alone for a while." The baker smiles and disappears into the kitchen.

"What an honor to speak to none other than Gale Hawthorne." Peeta says.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I ask, not even trying to hide the surprise on my face.

"Do you mean you don't know anything?"

"I...actually don't know" I chuckle, "How can it be an honor talking to me?"

"You're no less than a celebrity, Hawthorne,"

"A celebrity? Stop talking shit, Mellark."

"You're clueless, Hawthorne. Half of the town girls are drooling over you. You're the Finnick Odair of District 12." _What? Yeah, I'm angry at the 'Finnick Odair' comment._

"Don't you ever dare compare me with that Capitol lapdog!" I bark. He must see the anger in my eyes as he immediately squirms under my gaze and fear registers on his face.

"Whoa. Whoa, boy, you got angry-"

"I better be." I cut him off.

"Anyway, what brings you to the bakery?" He changes the topic quickly, much to my pleasure.

"I wanted to return your blanket." Confusion spreads across his face.

"What, you expected the mystery girl to come?" I ask, smirking. "She didn't even know it was you who got her the blanket. She thought it was me." Mellark stares at me, mouth wide open. I may feel a little bad for him, but I continue, "Too bad, you had to spend a cold night. did you catch a flu?" I tease.

"W-where y-you the oth-other person last n-night?" Peeta croaks out, his voice extremely shaky.

"Yeah."

"Did you lose someone?" He whispers

I close my eyes. "Yeah." I sigh "My dad."

"I'm so sorry..." his voice trails off.

"No, its okay. I'm alright." I hand him the blanket. "I think I should leave." And I head for the door, a feeling of dread looming over me.

* * *

_A few steps out of the bakery and my thoughts drift back to the mystery girl. It's a shame we're just strangers._


	2. Name

**A/N: Hey, readers! I hope you liked the first chapter! It seriously takes me hours to think about how you would feel about my writing. Please tell me through your reviews. I am in love with them. **

**Guys, my updating scheme would be something like this: I would be posting a new chapter every Saturday or Sunday. Like once a week 'cause i'm a socially awkward teenager who gets writers' block often and yeah, high school sucks! Please bear with me. **

**P.S. in case you were wondering, I am a true and dedicated Galeniss fan. This one and most of my future fics would be eventual Galeniss. And yes, I don't really like Everlark and I _HATE_ Gadge! I'm really sorry if that hurt any of yours sentiments, but yeah, that's how it is.**

**Enough of my babbling, now on with the chapter...**

Name

As I walk all the way from the bakery to my house in the Seam, only one thought kept nagging me. I had gone to the bakery, thinking it would be fun to break Mellark's heart. I surely must have succeeded too, because a guy who willingly sacrifices a night's warmth for a girl who doesn't even pay attention to him...he must love her a lot. But this guy, instead of reacting like I expected him to, he became almost teary and asked me if I had lost someone to the mines. I think I might want to change my perception about this particular townie.

When I reach the front door to my house, I feel afraid to push it open. I fear to face my mother. I fear to face my brothers. I fear for the future and survival. Because the last string of hope my family has, is me. If I fail them, they wouldn't have anybody.

_I'm not fearless._

The flung open, revealing my panic stricken mother.

"Gale...Thank god you're back." She's kept herself well composed after whatever happened last night. It would have definitely been more painful for her than for me, with her pregnancy and all that stuff.

"Sorry mom...for not coming home last night." I say as I run into her open arms.

"Oh no, honey, there's nothing for you to be sorry about. It's okay." She hugged me tighter. Tears started to pool in my eyes. In a a few moments, those couple of silent tears turned into a full fledged breakdown.

"Shush, Gale. Its's okay. It's okay. It's going to be fine. Don't worry. Don't cry. It's okay" Mom tries to calm me down, and it surprisingly helps. I quickly cry myself out and she ushers me in.

"Sit." She orders me, motioning toward the couch, then disappears into the kitchen. She comes out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of stew.

She handed me the bowl and ordered me again, "Eat." She gave me time to take a few bites before speaking again, "Gale, I know it's weird, and...a bit early too, but we need to talk about something."

"Don't worry. I know what you want to talk about. plus, it's never too early for Seamers to get over a lost family member." I say coldly, all under one breath.

"Gale..." She sighs, "I know. You have two younger siblings and very soon, they'll be three. We have to understand that they need us to survive-"

"Us?" I cut her off. Placing my hand on her belly, I continue, "Mom, I can't let you...this isn't happening. I can take care of all four of you pretty well."

"Gale, you're thirteen. You can't go down to mines for the next five years." Then her voice turns shaky, "And even if you could, I...I don't think I'll let you for a while now. What can you do, alone?"

"I'll take out tesserae. That'll get grain and oil. I'll go to the wood. Hunt. Set snares. Catch animals. That'll get meat. I'll gather edible plants and roots and herbs. That'll get other sorts of food on the table. The surplus, I'll trade for it at the Hob. That'll get other stuff and supplies. I have all things sorted out. It'll work." I say in full confidence, as if I actually had everything sorted out. I hadn't even thought about survival since the past night. But...the idea of mom working, especially with the soon to be born baby, was unbearable. All of these solutions came out of my mouth without even thinking. and they all seemed pretty good and effective. It'll _actually _work.

"The woods are forbidden."

"For god's sake, mom, think of it. Dad used to hunt in the woods. That friend of his, too. What was his name, again? Yeah, Fred. That insane guy would bring his daughter along, too, who is a couple years younger than me. So, if an eleven year old, tiny girl can handle the woods, well, so can I. I'm physically fit, my snares are good, and I can defend myself. It'll be okay."

Mom stares down at the floor, and keeps her voice low, "What if the peacekeepers find out?"

"Mom, dad used to trade with the peacekeepers. This means they wouldn't mind if I went into the woods and kept them in supply of fresh game. Plus, dad's status would give me an edge. And, even if someone turns against me, better die a quick death with a bullet rather than a slow and painful death from starvation."

"Gale, shut up!" Tears welling up in her eyes. "I...I can't lose you too. Don't ever say that again. Please." She says as a single tear runs down her cheek.

"Hey, mom," I try to calm her down, "Don't cry, please. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here, beside you. Besides, you don't look beautiful like this, tears running down your face." I wipe a tear from her face and she smiles a little.

"You're a perfect ladies' man, just like your father. You know just how and when to compliment to make a girl happy."

"Mom?!" I banter. This makes her laugh.

"Ahh…my son's just perfect. Ladies' man and mamma's boy." She embraced me tightly. I gladly hugged her back. "You've grown up so much." Her voice is thick with emotion. "Do you know? I've only seen you cry twice in my life."

"Really?" I ask, astonished. I know I never cry, but seriously, like_ twice_ in _thirteen_ years? Everyone deserves to shed a few tears. "When was the first time?"

"Years ago. You were just six and Rory was five months old. He had caught a really bad flu and the apothecary said that only a miracle could save him now. That night, you clung to me and asked me how much a miracle cost. You said you would work to gather up the money to buy it. when I told you that you couldn't buy a miracle, you cried and said that I was saying so because I didn't want you to work because you were young and incompetent. You said that you couldn't lose Rory because he is your best friend and best brother." She made a weak attempt at laughing. "considering the fact, a six year old and a five month old cannot be best friends and at that time, Rory was your only brother."

"Speaking of brothers, were are they?" I ask, changing the topic quickly. The earlier one was eating me up.

"Still in bed. I didn't have the heart to wake them up."

"Alright. Let's let them sleep. Now or an hour later, the world will remain equally horrible." Anger flashes through my eyes. "I'll go, get _freshened up_ to take that bloody tesserae."

"Gale, watch your language, please."

"Fine." I huff, "Tesserae for how many people, though? Four or five?"

Mom gestures a _four_ and I disappear into my room.

The line for tesserae registration at the Justice Building is...long. Very long. Children from all parts of the Seam could be seen here. Many children lost their relatives, and perhaps, breadwinners, in last night's accident. That' probably why there is a hike in the tesserae applications. I had to wait for three hours in the line before I reached the counter.

When finally, my turn came, the stupid Capitol attendant asked in her cold Capitol accent, "Your name, please."

"Gale Hawthorne." I reply just as coldly.

"Age?" The Capitol accent is funny.

"Thirteen."

"Tesserae application for the 70th Hunger Games?" I nod, "For how many people, dear?"_ Why is this woman playing sweet with me?_

"Four. Now you'll ask for the names, so have it- Gale Hawthorne, Hazelle Hawthorne, Rory Hawthorne and Vick Hawthorne. Make it quick!" Maybe I was a little rude to this woman, but she's a Capitolite, so it doesn't bother me much. _I hate the Capitol and the Capitolites who kill children for sport._

The Capitol woman looks...offended, maybe, by my rude behavior. But she quickly regains her composure. "Oh dear, okay. Everything's done. Just sign the document and go wait in the adjacent hall for confirmation."

I do as that freaky Capitol woman said. I never in my life want to do anything anyone from the Capitol asks me to do. After all, it was their mines that killed my father. They make innocent teenagers murder each other every year. They make the lives of every person living in the district a living hell and I hate them for it. But right now, I have to agree to whatever this lady says, because if I don't, I wouldn't get that damn grain and I need to feed my family.

The waiting room is bustling with people. My eyes automatically start searching for a familiar face. Maybe there's someone I can talk to for passing this awfully long time it takes for tesserae conformation. Maybe I can find the mystery girl from last night. Maybe I can get to know her name. Maybe I can befriend her. No, we will be friends, no matter what. I _will_ befriend her, I want to.

My hopeful thoughts are broken by a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see Eron, an old friend of mine from school.

"Hey." I say.

"Hi, Gale. You lost your dad too? Eron asked. _He too? _I think. But this confuses me more. Because unlike me, he is the youngest of three brothers with one already working in the mines and another starting in a few weeks.

I nod in response to his question before voices his thoughts. "Eron, why do you need tesserae? Your family has two people working in the mines already. And now you are just four people. Whereas, on the other hand, we'll soon be five people. My mother cannot work in the mines with a baby around and of course, I wouldn't let her. So, the responsibility of my family lands on my shoulders._ I_ need this stupid tesserae." I sigh and place a hand on his shoulder. "Avoid it, buddy. Its dangerous. You guys can make it without this. I know I am no one to say this, but, being your friend, I suggest you avoid it. Because you can."

"Gale, you see, I know I can avoid it, and I greatly appreciate your concern. But dad used to work with the butcher whenever he had free time, and that got home good money." _Yeah, no wonder why he's better fed that most of the Seam. _He seems to think the same thing and pauses, then looks around for someone before continuing, "My family is not used to living on less money, so I need tesserae too, at least till the time they get used to the Seam standards."

I can't help but feel sick at whatever he just said. Putting your in that reaping bowl extra times to maintain your standards? That's gross.

"I need to go, buddy." Then Eron leans over and whispers into my ear, "My girlfriend's calling me."

_That's gross too. _I think to myself.

I still try to look around for the mystery girl for if she's the breadwinner for her family now, she must be here for tesserae application. Darn, she needs to be at least twelve for that. She looked like an eleven year old. Looks like some mysteries don't want to get solved.

After the awfully long wait for the tesserae confirmation and the awfully long walk back to the Seam, I finally reach my home. I go straight to the kitchen, pull out a bottle of water and consume half of it in one long gulp. I didn't even notice my five year old brother, Vick, sitting at the kitchen table until I hear his soft giggles.

"What?" I ask him.

"You thirsty, eh, big brother?" He say, trying to suppress his giggles.

"So?" Just as I question him, there's a knock on the door. "I'll get that." I say as I bolt out of the door. Well, my mother is definitely faster than me. By the time I reach the door, which is only a few seconds, mom has already opened the door and is calling for me to come.

"Gale, there's someone here to talk to you." She says. Before I can question her about who is there at the door, she disappears into the house.

I walk to the door and to my horror, find the the most unexpected people waiting for me. At first, I find two well built men in white uniforms. _Peacekeepers. _These people scared me at first. Next I see the smiling face of an old well dressed man. Hah, our very own Mayor Undersee. Seeing him, I relax somewhat. Next up, I notice a girl, hiding behind the Mayor. She's a blondie, and maybe she's mystery girl's age, but she's much better fed. Now it hits me, this girl is the Mayor's daughter, Madge Undersee. _The __**Princess **__of District 12._ I sarcastically think to myself. I hate the Princess, but right now, her presence calms me down. Two peacekeepers and the Mayor. I might have committed a crime and they may be here to arrest me, but no one would bring their daughter along if they're going to arrest someone.

"You are Gale Hawthorne, right?" The Princess asks. I nod. To my surprise, she winks at me and blurts out, "You are so cute!"

I stare at her, open mouthed. _What did she just say? _I ask myself. Then all of a sudden, Peeta Mellark's words from earlier this morning flow into my mind.

_You're clueless, Hawthorne. Half of the town girls are drooling over you. You're the Finnick Odair of District 12._

Yeah, Madge Undersee is a frickin' townie too.

"Madge, you shouldn't say that in front of all people." The Mayor scolded his daughter.

"But daddy! You said I should ALWAYS speak the truth." She bites back. "_This _is the truth. He is _very _hot!"

The Princess continues to babble about how good looking I am while her father tries to calm her down and in the end finally gives up and buries his face in his hands in embarrassment. All this while, I lean against the door frame and can't help but smirk.

Finally, the mayor pinches her ear and she screams in pain. "Madge Undersee, you get back home right away. You're making the boy feel uncomfortable." _Yeah, that part about making me uncomfortable is true._

"Fine!" The Princess huffs. "I'm leaving. But that doesn't make him any less hot!" And she storms off in the direction of the town. _Who knew the Princess is so outspoken?_

The Mayor turns to me and his entire face is red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry for my daughter's behavior." He whispers.

I just shrug it off and say, "Well, what brought you all the way to _the Seam_?" I ask.

"Mr. Hawthorne, the unfortunate accident in the mines that occurred yesterday has caused you great loss."_ Good thing he doesn't directly say 'your dad died'. _"Your father..." he hesitates, "He sacrificed himself to save the lives of twenty other mines. So, for his bravery and selflessness, the Capitol wants to honor him by presenting his eldest born with a Medal of Valor."

"Oh," That is all I could manage, because I had rage boiling inside of me. My father died saving the lives of _twenty _other miners and all the Capitol is doing is giving his son a metal disc. Why do they even care if another man in the districts died. The thing is, it was the Capitol's mines that killed my father. **I STILL HATE THE CAPITOL! **I didn't respond with truth to my feeling because voicing my thoughts would be treasonous. And the last thing my family wants is another dead member the very next day. However much I hate the Capitol, I still need to take care of my family and I need to be alive to do that.

"The ceremony will take place exactly two weeks from today in front of the Justice Building at 5 pm. You and your family are required mandatory presence throughout the ceremony." he tells me after a minute of pause.

"We'll be there."

After this weird and awkward exchange with the Mayor and his daughter, I walk right in and straight to the kitchen. Vick is still sitting there, silently glancing through the pages of a worn out picture book that has been passed through generations in our family. This book could be stated antique if we didn't live in such poverty, because of which most of the articles in our home are sort of_ antique_ only.

"Still thirsty." I tell him, confirming his earlier prediction. He just gives me a halfhearted smirk. Right at the moment, mom walks in and takes a seat next to Vick. She smirks at me and starts speaking.

"Hey, Gale, was the Mayor's daughter flirting with you?" Her question shocks me. _Did she hear the entire thing?_

"Uh..." _This is awkward. _I look down to the floor and rub the the back of my neck. At the corner of my eye, I find Vick eyeing me and now flashing a full smirk. "What are you looking at?" I ask him in an effort to change the topic.

"Nothing." He laughs. "Answer mom's question." _This isn't good._

"Um...mom...uh, yeah, kinda." Mom laughs at my hesitance.

"Ladies' man, told ya" I laugh "Gale, honey, you can share anything with me. You know that, right?" I nod in response. "You're a grown up boy now, and I'm sure, a handsome guy like you would have a lot of girl trouble. Approach me if you have any, and I'll let you know what a girl wants."

"Like a love guru?" I ask her.

"Yeah." I laugh again. I make another attempt to change the topic by telling them about the ceremony and this time, I succeed. _Yeah!_ Though, the triumph washes away real quick when I realize my mother and brother's fallen faces. We're all going through so much and if there's anything that gives them a light mood, I'll do it. But this topic, its just a little..._awkward. _Maybe I'll open up at least my mom real soon.

The past two weeks were...tough. Very tough. Each day, I wake up with the sun, _try to _go to the wood. It was a little scary for the first few days. I went till the fence and set up all my snares there. It worked for a two to three day when the snares caught a rabbit or two, enough to feed my family for a day. But eventually I realized that the animals rarely come near the fence because of the district's noise. Then, on the fifth day of my trips to the fence, I quietly slipped under the fence, set up my snares around the trees at the very edge of the treeline and as quickly as I had come, I ran back to the district. I hadn't gotten any game the day before and watching young brothers going to bed on an empty stomach broke my heart. That day, I felt as if I had failed. That I failed my family, but most of all, my father. In his last moments, I know he would only have one thought on his mind, that his son would never let any harm come to his families.

After the woods, I attend school. After the school where I pretend to pay attention and still scan the hallways for the mystery girl and the girl with the long black braid down her back, I go back to the woods to check my snares for any game. I usually don't have any surplus, but I did have an extra rabbit or squirrel on numbered occasions. So I go and trade them at the shops in the town. I still don't feel like going to the Hob. Unlike the woods, the Hob is full of people who can be _dangerous. _Like drunkards who can rob you. While going to the woods is dangerous too, I don't have to deal with scary people there because I am alone in the woods, or at least I think I am.

So this is how my routine has been for the past two weeks. Wake up, woods, school, again woods, the market (sometimes), home, bed. But today I have to skip most of it because the fence is turned on as today is the 'Honor Ceremony' for all the miners who died in the accident. The fence turned on means no woods which means no market.

The entire district is bustling with activity, preparing for the ceremony. It puts me in a bad mood, thinking about the ceremony. This is all just another trick of the Capitol to divide the crowd. Like, 'honoring' those who died in the mines but otherwise letting ordinary district people starve to death. Also, if you_ have_ to honor someone who died while saving several other lives, it shouldn't be done with a metal disc. Its like they are basically dishonoring his sacrifice. My father, the best man I've ever known, he's worth much more than that. His death cannot be compensated by a piece of metal. But we are district people and saying _anything _like that is considered treason.

Just like that, not attending this ceremony is considered treason too. However much you hate it, you _have _to go. Like me, I really don't want to go, see the faces of all those innocent children whose fathers won't come home ever again. All those women, whose husbands could not give them one last goodbye kiss. All those parents, whose sons would never hug them again. It pains me to go see all those people. All those people, who would never see a particular loved one again.

I want to put aside this soft side of mine. I have always been tough my entire life, always making hopeless plans about taking down the Capitol, but sometimes, from under that rebellious mask of mine, a soft heart peeks out. It usually happens when I see my brothers happily playing about, or a happy smile on my mother's face.

My mother has been making some preparations too. Not much, though. I don't let her do much. Yeah, she needs rest. I let her take care of the kitchen and a little bit of cleaning , but not more than that. I take care of my brothers on my own for now, but I will let her, though, a few weeks after she delivers.

She's been picking out outfits for all three of us, boys, as if we have a lot of options. She makes me wear the pants that I wear for my the reaping day, and a clean grey shirt that matches my stormy eyes. She lays out a similar outfit for my brothers. And obviously, the responsibility to get them ready in on me. Though Vick quietly obliges, Rory gives me trouble to wrestle into pants and shirt, he says its because his usual outfit is a T-shirt and denims. Hell, that boy is as stubborn as me.

We leave the house at the designated time and head for the Justice Building in the town square. Although I've been in a pretty bad mood since morning, I consider on advice my father once gave me.

"Always find a string of good in the worst of situations." He used to say.

Each time he told me this, I would always think that if a person is in the worst of situations, how can they think of something good. Turns out, I had myself never been in the worst of a situation before.

I try to work on my dad's advice. Nothing's good. But maybe I'll get to know the names of the two girls I've secretly been crushing on. I've seen mystery girl around school a few times. I know her face, but not her name. There's something about this girl that I define as 'weird'. In the two weeks I've been mindlessly staring at her, I've never seen her talking to someone. Like, _never. _Though, I've seen the Princess tag along with her. She sits on the same table as the mystery girl does and always seems to make small talk. Through my observation, I got to know that she indeed is a couple of years younger than me. She has this permanent scowl plastered on her face and I don't exaggerate when I say, she _never _smiles.

On the other hand, the other girl, Fred's daughter, I don't know how she looks like. Just a few characteristics of her appearance, like her long black braid down her back and her deep grey eyes. Plus, she's good with a bow and arrow and fine with snares. She sings well, too, dad told me once. What else do I know about her? Nothing. _Always find a string of good in the worst of situations. _At least, I'll get to know her name. I know mystery girl better that Fred's daughter, but I've still had a crush on this girl ever since the day dad first mentioned her.

Both of these girls, for now, are just simple childhood crushes, nothing like _love _or something. The word 'love' gives a big commitment, which I don't want to give. Me being a thirteen year old saying that I _love _a girl I barely know actually creeps me out. _Barely know? You don't even know both of their names, even, Gale. _I _will _get to know that today.

I am quite sure both of these girls would be here today. I know that the mystery girl's dad died that day, so she'll surely be here. As for Fred's daughter, I guess she'll be here too. I guess, Fred died in that accident as well. Reason number one, dad and Fred were on the same crew and there was news that this particular crew was perished entirely. Second, if he was somehow alive, he would have at least paid us a visit, which he didn't, so my assumption about him being dead is quite correct.

When we reach the town square, I see the townies who came to watch the ceremony, live, are seated in chairs. This event has mandatory viewing issued just for district 12. So, practically everyone has to watch, but had the option to either watch live or on those huge screens placed on some of the most-used streets of the town.

By the corner of my eye, I catch Peeta Mellark sitting in one of those chairs, glancing my way, before we were ushered into the Justice Building.

Each family was supposed to go on the makeshift stage from the inside of the Justice Building, then they would announce the name of the person being 'honored' with a Medal of Valor, and then the name of their eldest born or parent.

The ceremony started about thirty minuted after we reached, after a middle aged blonde woman and a little blonde girl were dragged inside by a girl with black hair that were pulled into a long braid down her back. _The girl with the long black braid down her back, _I think. When she's finally done pulling whom I think are her mother and sister, she looks around the room which contains the families of all the dead miners. At this moment, I take a good look at her face. _She is my mystery girl. _She looks over to me and our eyes lock, only for a moment, though. A hint of recognition crosses her features and then her eyes flit away. This moment has left me with gentle smile played across my lips.

The Mayor starts with his introductory speech stating how brave it was of the twenty three men who sacrificed their lives so that their country would not run low on coal, for if these men hadn't sacrificed themselves, a major part of the mines would have collapsed. They stayed inside the mines instead of fleeing the scene and controlled the damage. Then they started calling the families.

After about ten families, they announced my name.

"Gale Hawthorne." My family and I walk onto the stage. The Mayor comes and stand in front of me, and quietly handing me the piece of metal they call 'Medal of Valor'. I can't help but scowl at him. "Son of Christopher Hawthorne, being awarded the Medal of Valor for his father's sacrifice." They announce again. A couple peacekeepers come and guide us off the stage, to the front rows in the square, reserved for the families.

We took our seats and I tried to look around for any familiar faces in the row immediately behind me to talk to. I find no one. Now all I could do was concentrate on the ceremony and wait for the mystery girl's and Fred's daughter's name to be called. I know the mystery girl's face and Fred's name, so I actually pay attention to all the names being called.

After about another five families, they call, "Katniss Everdeen." My mystery girl walks onto the stage. _Katniss Everdeen. _I let her name bounce in my mind over and over again and soon, her father's name is announced, "Daughter of Fredrick Everdeen," _Wait, that's Fred's full name. _If I'm guessing right, then the mystery girl and Fred's daughter are the same person. I'm brought out of my thoughts when she says something to the Mayor, while he was handing her the 'Medal of Valor'. It was loud enough for the first few rows to listen.

"A person's worth is not measured in pieces of metal." She snaps at the Mayor. _Dad was right, she's fearless. Doesn't care about treason._

She walks off the stage by herself after her comment, still dragging her family along. She walks towards the three empty on my right side, settles her family in, with her sister in the middle and slumps down into the chair right by my side. She still has that scowl on her lovely face. I keep my eyes my eyes trained on her, all this while.

A few moments later, her sister nudges her. "Katniss, why do we have to sit here?"

"It's a stupid ceremony, Prim. And it's _mandatory viewing._"

"But why were we on the stage?"

"Because Prim, these people are trying to dishonor dad's sacrifice by saying that they're honoring him." _God, this girl's brain works so much like mine._

"But I don't understand, Kat."

"You better not."_ She wants to protect her siblings from the harsh truth as well._

After the ceremony ends, I along with my family start to head for the Seam when I see Peeta Mellark is staring at Katniss. _My _Katniss. _Oh, this boy has a crush on her, too. Whatever, _I tell myself. At least now I know the names of the two girls I like, and these two are the same person.

_At least I know the name, Katniss Everdeen._


	3. Meeting

**A/N: Hey readers! First of all, I'm so so so sorry for the late update! I have an exam tomorrow and wasn't allowed to use the laptop until i completed that damn syllabus. But don't worry at all. I'm definitely not giving up on this story. If, for some reason, I'm unable to update on Saturday, I'll update on Sunday, by max. **

**Anyway, that you so much catniphawthorne for your wonderful reviews! They mean a lot to me. Like, a lot. Another thanks to the guest reviewer. You guys' reviews encourage me a lot to write more.**

**Well, did I ever mention that I'm a forgetful dumbass? If I didn't, I'm saying it now, 'cause, apparently, I forgot to put a damn disclaimer in my previous chapters. Why repeat mistakes, though? So, here it goes-**

**Disclaimer: I _do not,_ by any means, own _The_ _Hunger Games._ They are a property of Suzanne Collins. Well *sigh* if they were mine, Gale and his Catnip would have had a very happy life together, and Gagde would have never been in existence.**

Meeting

Brr, it's cold today. The sun hasn't even peeked above the horizon yet and I'm already on my way to the woods. A cold gust of wind bites my face and even though the sun would be out soon, I don't expect the temperature to increase a lot. It's a fairly cold day today.

As I walk along the coal dust covered paths of the Seam, I wonder what Katniss would be doing right now. _Probably sleeping. _I don't think anybody except me wakes up this early in the entire district. Nowadays, however, my thoughts seem to revolve around Katniss, all the time. It's not like I don't notice any other girl, many of them are good, but none are like Katniss. I have a kissed a few other girls in the past months, but while kissing each of those girls, I always wonder how Katniss's lips would taste. They would be just…amazing.

She has this spark inside of her that ignites a fire within me that comforts my soul. She is something completely different. Every time I look at her, I feel like I have a sort of connection with her. It's like, as if I can read her mind. I don't follow her around the entire district. I'm not a crazy stalker, like that Mellark boy. Just those stolen glances at school. Just those broken contacts of our eyes, each time we walk past each other in the Seam. Just that brush little brush of our fingers we had on the day of the ceremony. When she sat right by my side. Her presence by my side felt like it sent shivers down my spine and at the same time, a bolt of heat through my muscles.

Although I like her so much, I still wouldn't say that I love her. _Love _is a big commitment. I have a huge crush on Katniss, but that doesn't mean I can't have eyes for other girls. It's not like I'm betraying in some way. This can't be called _cheating. _After all, she's not my girlfriend. _If only she is…_

But she never will be. She's so special, she's out of my league. Maybe we just have a shot at being friends. Because I really want to be friends with this special girl, know her better. I know I still know a lot about her, but there still are things that you can't know without _really_ knowing a person. I will get to know her; my luck can't be _that_ bad. Even though never really made an attempt to talk to her in the past months since we've been left fatherless, but I think I would do that soon. Until now, I had just been observing her. I needed guts to talk to this girl. Damn, she appears to be fiery too.

Another gust of cold, biting wind hits my face, and I look up from where I had been staring at the path around my feet. As I look ahead on the road leading to the fence, I see someone running. Running in the direction of the fence. I can't really tell who it was, because when I saw him (or maybe her), he/she was quite far away for me to see his/her face. But by his/her height, it appears to be a child. Maybe not a child, but 12 at the most. It's a little weird to see anyone awake at this hour, because nobody bothers to wake up so early, except for the miners who are on the early morning shift. But this is a child and today is Sunday. Sunday is an off for the mines.

Plus, this child was heading in the direction of the fence. Maybe it's not the fence, but the meadows that surround it.

_Nobody_ goes to the woods except me. No. I guess me and one more person.

I still don't go to the Hob. I still trade my extra game at the town market. I still hate the townies but survival is still important. But there's another thing. In the past eight months of ensnaring animals and selling them to the townies, I at least got to know their likings. And believe me, these freaking townies pay extra if you bring what they like. And I would love to get that extra money because it means a little more resources for my family. So, whenever I have extras, out of them, I take the rabbits to the butcher and the squirrels go to the baker. Honestly, these two are my most reliable costumers and can be trusted to buy my stuff each time I approach them, but last time I went to the baker, he didn't buy my squirrels.

That happened about three weeks ago. I had gone to the bakery and much to my distaste, I was greeted my Peeta Mellark. That creepy stalker who keeps staring at my Katniss.

"Hey, Mellark." I greeted him, doing all it took to appear sweet. Maybe failing even then. "Can I see your father?"

Right at that, he summoned his father and the sweet-sweet Mr. Mellark appeared just moments later.

"How can I help you, son?" He asked, wiping his flour covered hands on a towel.

"I had squirrels for you, Mr. Mellark." I told him. His ever present smile faltered at this.

"I'm so sorry, son. I really don't want to do this, but I will have to turn you down, this time." He said and sighed. "I only bought them earlier today. There's a new hunter in town. You know-"

"A new hunter? What do you mean by that?" I cut him off in disbelief. I knew my eyes went wide and my mouth was gaping. _Does somebody else go to the woods, too?_

"Yeah, son. That's right. It's not _just_ you." he gave me a reassuring smile. I didn't need that. What did he think? That I am afraid to go to the woods? It's not that was worried about being the only one doing illegal stuff; in a way, I find it good, someone else has the gut to defy the Capitol as well. But it's another thing that causes me distress. COMPETITON. Like it happened that day. If there's someone else hunting as well, then people may not buy the game from me. _Like it happened that day. _

"I don't know her name, though." The baker pulled me out of my thoughts. _My competitor is a girl, now, _I think to myself.

"Oh, ok, Mr. Mellark-" I start, but the baker's son cuts me off.

"I know-" Peeta interjects.

"Peeta!" The baker scolded his son, "Where are you manners? Do not intervene when two grown-ups are talking. You get that?" However bad it sounds, but I loved it when that boy got a scolding from his dad.

"Grown-ups, dad?" Peeta said, pointing towards me.

"Peeta, have you _ever _talked to this boy before?" He turned to me then, back to his sweet self, "Son, you're fourteen, right?" I nod. He then said to his son, "You see, this boy here, he is fourteen yet he is already a mental grown up. He feed his family singlehandedly."

"Um…Mr. Mellark?" I said to get his attention, "I think I'll leave now. I would come around next time I have spare squirrels." With that, I made my exit.

This new hunter has been creating some problems for me. The thing that happened with the baker that day happened with the butcher the very next week. All I know about this hunter, though, is that she is a girl.

_Maybe it's Katniss. She used to go to the woods with her father. _Whoever she is, I never ran into her.

My long chain of thoughts is broken when I see the fence in clear view. I slip under the fence and decide against my will to go check the snare line first. When I first started to _actually _venture into the woods, I had found a clearing with a huge rock in the middle, overlooking a valley. The valley was beautiful. _It still is._ There were green hills in the right side of the landscape, a river flowing right though them. On the left of the river were the trees. Pine trees. My favourite. I just love the way pine smells. It reminds me of dad. When he would come back from the woods, many a times a little late because he would go there to check on the snares, he would always hug me. Those days, he smelt like the woods, like…pine, grass and herbs. Not like those mines which make him smell like coal and ashes.

Each day, I would go to that spot after my hunting was done and skin and gut the animals there, all the while enjoying the view this valley offered.

Today, I had this nagging feeling as soon as I slipped under the fence that I needed to go to that rock. I don't know why, but just an instinct. I also had this feeling the moment I woke up, that something is going to happen today. Something like, exciting, maybe? I really don't know how to describe this feeling.

I don't feel like doing anything today. I just want to go, sit on that rock and look into the valley. I _hate _sulking around, but I still feel exhausted today. Probably, it's because that stupid brother of mine claimed he had a terrible nightmare and didn't let me sleep.

_You have to put food on the table, Gale. _

This is the thought that erupts in me each time I feel any sort of physical discomfort. After being the breadwinner for the family for all these months, I have stopped caring about myself. About my choices, wishes, health. Maybe…except girls. _I pay full attention to that part._

I internally chuckle when I think that.

I walk to the start of my snare line, as quietly as possible. It's not difficult for me to find the tree I hide my weapons in. _Weapons? A knife and a wooden stick with a sharpened edge you call a makeshift spear. It that weapons? _

I retrieve my father's old hunting knife and my makeshift spear. I was around mid-June when one day, while venturing into the forest, I encounter a lone wild dog. _Good thing it wasn't an entire pack of them._ My first instinct was to flee but I soon realised that I couldn't possibly outrun a wild dog. So I fought it, with a single knife and surprisingly, without getting much damage on myself. Just a few cuts here and there and no bites. That day, I realised that I needed a ranged weapon out here in the woods. I took a long, fairly thick stick and with a stone, I shaved its end off to make it sharp.

Clutching my knife and spear in each hand, I begin inspecting the snare line. I satisfyingly catch seven rabbits, three squirrels and a raccoon. Because today is a Sunday which means I have a lot of free time, and I've got quite a lot of game early today (in fact this is my biggest haul so far) and I really don't want to return to the district right now. I don't want to go back to the smoky coal laden air of the district. So finally giving into the wish from earlier this morning, I go to the rock.

On usual Sundays, I would comb though the wood to kill any extra game with my _makeshift _spear. Not to mention I've grown quite good with using one and my aim is not bad. It usually hits the animal each time. The woods have been _very _generous to me today. And with so much game, I have more than enough game to feed my family and trade.

As I walk through the woods to the rock, my gaze falls on an unknown berry bush. I don't really know if these berries are edible, but I still move forward to pick a handful of them. Maybe I can ask someone if they're edible and then trade for them in the market. _Ah! I have an _amazing_ knowledge of edible plants. _

When I move my hand forward, towards the bush, my eye catches onto something. It's a long wooden stick, almost like a twig, just…it's even and smooth. I reach out to touch it. As soon as my hand lands on it, out of curiosity, I move it a little to reveal one of its ends. At this moment, I realise that it isn't just a wooden stick. There's a rhombus shaped metal piece attached to it. It's…it's like a smaller, much shorter version of the spears they have in the games (just sometimes, its shaft is of metal, too). I move it a little more. I see its other end now. There are…feathers sticking out of it. then the realization of this entire thing hits me. It's not a mini spear. _It's an arrow._

Before I realized I had picked it up, I drop it to the ground.

There's somebody out here. _You already know that, idiot. _There's somebody out here right now. _ So what? Can't you and that other hunter girl be in the woods at the same time? This must've happened before, too. _Should I be scared? _Maybe. _What if I'm in danger? _You risk your life, like every single day._ Yeah, that's true. _You should get going, Gale. Cause' to get food to your family, you have to trade the game. For that, you have to skin and gut the game._

I pick the arrow up, again, and shove it in my game bag; just in case I want to use something which is a little more _spear like._

Finally losing the battle to my internal voice, I go to the rock.

* * *

I finally reach the rock and get to skinning and gutting the game. After I'm finished with this, I eat the apple I had brought with me for lunch. Right now, the time is a little after noon, and it's best to go back to the district now, so that I can trade at the market. _The baker and butcher will be pleased to have their favourite meat and I would be pleased to have their coins._ But then I decide to sit there for a little bit more. Sitting here feels blissful. For a moment, I feel like I don't have a family to feed on my own. That I can be a normal fourteen year old boy. Have a normal childhood. A family where my father would come home with a huge smile, every night. My mother who has given birth just seven months ago doesn't have to work as a washerwoman for those townies. Where my three younger siblings would never go to bed hungry. A life where I'll have a loving girlfriend like Katniss who would love me with all of her heart and care for me. Someone whom I can share a real kiss with. Not like the I've shared with Stacey Williams, the school playgirl. Yeah, she's my girlfriend, but the feelings we have for each other are not _real. _They're just like…adolescence. We don't _love_ each other. Because my heart is claimed by one girl, Katniss. But again, it's a big, huge, intense crush, not love. It's not that I don't want to love. I'm also not afraid to love, just the right person and the right time…

I close my eyes and rest my head against the rock, envisioning a world where there would be no mines, no starvation, no reapings, no games. I feel myself slipping into a peaceful slumber, and after a long time, I listen to my heart.

* * *

The slanting rays of the sun hit my eyes, forcing me awake. I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep, right here in the middle of the wood where there could be a wild dog or a bear hiding in the bushes to attack me. _I am an idiot._

By the position of the sun, I sense the time to be late afternoon. _Shit, I'm late._ I gather my stuff quickly and get on my feet. The chilled October air burns into my face as I try to keep a steady pace and yet be quiet. This is one thing I'm good at; making my footsteps almost undetectable in the wilderness. As I near the fence, I remind myself to complete an impending task. _I have to reset the snares._ Stupid, forgetful me.

I go to the snare line only to find out that two of the already set snares had caught a rabbit each, since morning. I had set this particular set of snares on the fence, and these are the ones that I designed the day dad died.

But there's something that doesn't feel right here. There's a smell in the air, almost like…burnt meat.

As I reach my hand out to free the dead animals from the death grip of my wire, I hear the buzzing. The fence is turned on. _This can't be good._ I pull my hand back immediately and gasp. Now I know the source of the smell. The rabbits.

I don't know how long I would be stuck here, outside the district. This is the first time this has happened and honestly, I'm still a fourteen year old boy and I'm scared to death right now, no happen how strong I appear on the outside. Then the panic set in.

_Breath in, breath out. Don't panic. Panic's not gonna get you anything. Calm down. _I begin instructing myself. _Just hide somewhere out of sight and wait. Breath in, breath out._

I do what my instinct tells me to do and start looking for someplace to stay out of sight but still be able to look around for anyone. Without much struggle, I find a group of unknown trees - not far away from the fence and right beside the path that went deeper into the woods - which provides good cover and I could still see the fence, and if I pay attention, I can hear it too. I sit there with my game bag for company and try to pass time by drawing random, stupid patterns into the soil. By the distinct humming I can hear, I now the fence is still alive.

A while later, the buzzing is interrupted by another sound. It sounds like footsteps, almost rhythmic like humans. My first thought is Peacekeepers, but then I notice that the footsteps are too soft to be peacekeepers. I peer out of my hiding place and almost immediately, I'm frozen in place.

_It's her. It's really her. She's heading for the fence. And the fence is alive. No. Shit. I have to stop her. _I'm so lost in my panicky thoughts that I almost miss that she's about to touch the rabbit that's attached to my snare. I jump out of the hiding and try to warn her.

"That's dangerous!" I shout at her; thankfully, just in time. She pulls her hand back, jumps back several feet and a small frightened scream escaped her lips. Shit, I shouldn't have been _that_ harsh with her. I run in her direction until I'm standing within an arm's distance from her. Being so close to her makes my heart run a thousand miles a second, I am sure I feel the heat rushing to my cheeks.

She must have sensed my presence right behind her because she slowly starts to turn to face me. It is in this moment, I realise that I need to regain my composure. As I compose myself, a newfound confidence surges through me.

She has a frightened expression on her face. I divert my gaze away from her face immediately. Oh god, it's still not a smile but it's at least not a scowl. She looks so good without it. So beautiful. So innocent. I look at her again. Hell, the scowl is back.

"Hey, you don't need to be frightened. I wouldn't hurt you." I say.

"I can kill you before you can touch me." _Wow, this girl spits fire. I never knew._

"What's your name?" I say rather sternly. At this, her frightened expression returned. _Hell, I'm an idiot. I know it's Katniss. Why am I asking?_

"Catnip…" _But it's Katniss!_ What to do when I like Catnip better that Katniss?

"Well, Catnip, stealing's punishable by death, or hadn't you heard?" _Where is this stealing thing coming from?_

"Katniss." She corrects me, louder this time. "And I wasn't stealing it. I just wanted to look at your snare. Mine never catch anything."

This girl in front of me, who is a couple years younger than me, who I have a crush on, is checking out _my _snares? She is young…and terrified, and me? I have been acting like a jerk. Now that I have made this shitty image of myself in front of my crush, going oh-so-sweet all of a sudden would feel weird. _Now play a jerk, you jerk!_

"So where'd you get that squirrel?" I ask, eyeing the one hanging from her belt.

"I shot it." She says smugly, and then pulls out a bow that had been hanging by her shoulder. _A bow! _I literally beam at her.

"Can I see that?" I say, asking her to hand the bow over. "Please?"

She reluctantly hands me her small bow. "Just remember, stealing is punishable by death." I chuckle at that.

"Hey, I have a deal for you," she says. _She's talking to me! By herself! _I think I'll faint from excitement. "Can you teach me snares? I'll teach you to shoot."

I grin ear to ear. "Sure, why not?" This is awesome. Not only would I get to spent time with Katniss - no, Catnip – but hunting with a bow would also help me get more game, which is obviously an offer no one would give up. Because more game means more food and money.

I give her bow back. "Thanks," she gives me a strained smile. _God, even if strained, her smile makes melt._ "Anyway, I need to go." She spins on her heel, braid flying out in the air, and starts walking in the direction of the fence. She's already walked a few feet away from me when I realize it.

"No!" I jog up to her and grab her wrist "Wait!" she abruptly turns around on instinct.

"What the-" she starts, shooting death glares at me.

"The fence. The fence is on."

"Oh." Her glare softens. "Oww!" she winces.

"What happened?" I ask, concern clear in my voice.

"I guess… you broke my wrist, moron." Shit! I completely forgot about the death grip on her wrist. I immediately drop it, along with my light expression as I notice a bruise forming on her wrist. I divert my gaze to the ground, unable to match her eyes. I am such a moron, like she said. How could I…how? How can I hurt the girl of my dreams?

"I…I'm so sorry." I sigh. "I…was just…a little, uh…scared for you, you know." I lightly pick her injured wrist and place it on my palm. I'm surprised when she doesn't protest. "Does it hurt?"

"A little,"

"I'm sorry." I give my genuine apology, "I didn't mean to…"

"I know. It's alright." I feel glad she understands. "Well, when do you want to start the archery lessons?"

My smile returns. "So you're not mad at me?"

"For what?" I point to her wrist. "No, stupid, you saved my life. _I _should be thanking you for that. Thank you."

"Thanks."

"For what?" She gives a little laugh. _Her laugh, it's like music._

"One, for not being mad at me, and second, for giving me archery lessons. And for the archery lessons, I'll seek you myself."

"But…you don't know-"

"I'll find you." I reassure her. "After all, this district isn't this big, is it? Anyway, jokes apart; I'll start with some basic snares that day only. Anyway, what would you do till the fence goes off?"

"Guess I'll skin my squirrel til' then. This is my sole catch today." She tells me. I feel bad for her. A single squirrel for a family of three. I guess she reads my thoughts. "Oh, I have some berries and roots too."

"Um…Catnip, would you mind sitting with me in a hiding I discovered today…till the fence goes off?" I ask hesitantly.

"Okay."

I lead her to that group of trees I had been sitting in earlier.

"A willow clump." She says, admiring the trees. Then she turns to me, "Can I ask you something?" she doesn't wait for me to reply. Not that I mind…

"How did you know that the fence was alive?"

"Listen, you can hear it, even from here. Just concentrate. It's like a humming sound." She nods. "Did you hear it?" Another nod. "Good."

We sit there for a while in comfortable silence. I'm surprised at how wonderful it is to be near her. At least I know this much that she doesn't like to talk. And she was talking to me! Now if she prefers silence, I don't mind. I just sit there and bask in her presence.

It starts to get dark when the buzzing disappears. I point it out to her and to my surprise, she says that she noticed it before I did. Damn, those ears of hers. We walk to the fence together, and then part ways. I watch her as Catnip disappears into the darkness of District 12 and then head for trading with a huge, sheepish grin on my face.

* * *

_Hell, this is so amazing. I was there all this time with my crush. That girl who has my heart. She isn't just Katniss anymore. She is Catnip, my Catnip, my girl with the long black braid down her back. And all this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't fallen asleep on that rock. We wouldn't have had an official meeting._


	4. Hunting Partners

**A/N: Hi readers! I'm back with another chapter! And really, seriously, very, very, very sorry for the late update. I **_**promise **_**it be on time next week. **

**Thank you catniphawthorne for your wonderful review, as always. And, this isn't an Everlark story **_**at all**_**. This is pure Galeniss. Just, I want to write something about the characters' everyday lives in District 12, and as we all know, Peeta had a crush on Katniss since he was five, so yeah, I thought that maybe tittle-bittle of **_**one-sided**_** Everlark wouldn't hurt. But don't worry, Gale is Katniss' and Katniss is Gale's. Anything else is truly, seriously unthinkable :D**

**Disclaimer: If **_**The Hunger Games**_** was mine, I would have been a billionaire, which I'm not.**

Hunting Partners

It feels like I am still watching Catnip's figure fade into the darkness. It's still fresh on my eyelids. Every time I close my eyes, every single time, I see Catnip. But no, I'm not with her anymore. She must be at her home, eating dinner with her family. It didn't look like she had anything to trade. What would you trade if you had a single squirrel and roots and berries? I am here, in the town market, walking out of the butcher's after trading with his wife, Rooba, and my pocket heavy with a few coins. I head to the bakery. Those three squirrels are yet to be traded for bread.

"Hello, son." Mr. Mellark greets me.

"Hello, Mr. Mellark. I have squirrels today." I tell him.

"Oh, thank you, Gale. I was looking forward to having them."

"Um, how much bread could I get for these?" I ask, pulling out three plump squirrels.

"Oh my!" He exclaims. "These are a treat. Two raisin loaves would be fine."

"_Two raisin loaves!_ That's too much. I can't take charity, Mr. Mellark." I cross my arms is front of my chest defensively. Charity doesn't work well with us, Seamers. For us, everything is an equal trade.

"I didn't mean to offend you, son, and this is not charity. These squirrels are very plump for this time of the year and have a lot of meat on them. It'll last my family two meals. Please, let me give you a fair trade." This is the first time _anyone_ has bargained with me to take more. "Please."

"Okay," I sigh in defeat. "If you insist so much, I'll take it." I hand over the squirrels to him and in return, he gives me two big, warm loaves of bread. "Thank you, Mr. Mellark." I turn around to leave when the baker calls out to me.

"Gale, can I ask you something?" I nod. "You're smiling today. How? I've never seen you do that before."

I blush a little, almost unnoticeable, but the baker picks it up. "Oh, I see. It's your crush, isn't it?" He almost whispers.

"Yeah, you…you can say that." I blush a little harder, thinking about Catnip.

"I see that look on my son's face each time his crush comes to the bakery." He chuckles. Yeah, every time _my_ Catnip comes to the bakery. "So, who's the lucky girl?" I give him a quizzical look. Did this man just ask me to tell the name of my crush who is also his son's crush? Nah, that's not happening. I'm not telling him anything about Catnip. "Oh god, look at your face. Gale, it's alright if you don't want to tell me. I'll still give you a fair deal."

I laugh at his joke and leave.

On my way back to the Seam, I spot Catnip entering into her home. Well, this one is the house where I heard someone singing the other day. So the singing girl must probably be Catnip, too. God, this girl is everywhere. Well, after today's run in, I can't help the huge grin that takes over my features every time I think about her.

A few minutes later, I burst into my home, the door slamming against the wall.

"Mom, I'm home." I call out to her and go to the kitchen where I most expect to find her. And yeah, she's there only. I pull out the three rabbits and bread from my game bag and place them on the counter and give mom a quick hug.

"You're late, mister." Mom accusingly points a finger at me.

"The fence was on." I shrug, "Not my fault."

"Fine about that part." Then she points at my boots, "You brought your muddy boots inside my clean kitchen."

"This means I'm in huge trouble." I give her a playful smile. I've been quite free with my smiles today. "I'll go get cleaned up." I say as I rush out of the kitchen.

On my way to the bathroom, I pass the living room where my siblings are playing. Well, at least the elder ones are. I give my brothers a small hug and baby Posy, who's lying in her cradle, gets a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

An hour later, mom calls us all for dinner. Vick and I quietly oblige but Rory had to be dragged into the kitchen by his ear. Baby Posy lay in her cradle in the living room as she is still too young to eat. On the kitchen table, I sit across from mom, beside Rory. The food is served, my favourites. Rabbit stew and raisin bread. I have to say, I eat quite quickly because I hadn't realized eaten anything after that apple at noon and I've been starving. I seriously like the comfortable silence we've been eating in, but apparently, mom doesn't.

"So, Gale," she asks me, "Who's she?" I literally choke on my food. How does she know? How can she? I never ever told her anything about Catnip.

"I'm asking again, Gale, who's she? What's her name?"

"What do you mean, mom?" I ask her. _As if I don't know already._

"Gale, you're smiling today. I just want to know the name of the girl who's capable enough of making my grumpy son smile."

"Am I still smiling?" I ask no one, shocked.

"You've been grinning like an idiot, Big Brother." Rory cuts in. "What's her name, Gale, tell no, please." He begs.

"Gale, please!" This time, it's Vick.

I realise there's really no way out of this situation now, without giving myself away. So, I decide to give in. Plus, better not infuriate mom. She's like a demon when she's angry. Her fury isn't good.

"Rory, you're on big brother duty. Cover Vick's ears." I command my little brother.

"But-" Vick protests.

"I'll tell you later anyway, Vick." Rory tells him and covers his ears.

"No, you wouldn't." I warn Rory.

"Maybe I would." He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Boys! If your bantering is done, please, I want the name. I'm curious!" Mom says playfully.

"Alright, Katniss." Mom gasps and Rory has a mischievous look on his face.

"Everdeen?" Mom asks. I nod and blush. "_Fredrick Everdeen's_ daughter?" I nod again. "Oh god, Gale, seriously?" She squeals.

"Yeah, mom. She's amazing." I'm not even trying to hide my blush now.

"Big brother, you talked to her, right?" Rory asks.

"Yeah…"

"Tell me everything that happened. How? When? Where?" He bubbles with curiosity.

"I met her in the wood-"

"The woods?!" The other two say in unison, shocked.

"Yeah, the woods." I smirk, then suddenly I'm bouncing up and down in my chair with excitement. "And…and…and she asked me to teach her snares and said that…she'll teach me to shoot in return. I am such an idiot! I did something _really_ stupid then. So, so, so, so stupid. She was going for the fence and it was on and I don't know what happened to me, I grabbed her wrist so tightly that it began to bruise. I was actually scared that she'll punch me or slap me for it, but instead she thanked me and said that I saved her life. God, I love it." I finally stop and catch my breath.

"Gale, what the hell have you been saying? I didn't catch a word." I hear mom say.

"Chill, mom." Rory interjects, "He's babbling because Big Brother is in _love_." He teases me. I blush again.

"It's not really love, Ror, just a crush. A big one, though."

"Don't lie, Big Brother." He teases again.

"Boys!" Mom intervenes, "Back to eating, now."

* * *

It's been a week since my encounter with Catnip, and my mind seems to be fixed on her at all times. During classes, I stare out of the window, imagining her playfully swinging on the swing, giggling and shrieking. During lunch, my eyes fix on her as she sits with the Mayor's daughter and eats her meagre meal. In the Seam, I see her passing through the alleyway, sometimes with her sister and I can't help but notice the way she looks at her sister protectively. It's the same way I look at Posy. In the wood, I wonder if she may jump out of a tree in front of me, all of a sudden. Every once in a while, our eyes would lock and she would offer me a small, fake smile, which I would eagerly return with a real one. I had told her I would come to her myself. It takes me a week to gather the guts. I finally decide I'll ask her today.

I sit down in the lunch room to eat with my friends, Thom and Aaron, as I look around the hall to search for the girl with the long black braid down her back. There she is, where she always sits, with the Princess, and surprisingly, not scowling.

"Gale, you look lost today." Aaron states.

"No, that's not true." I counter, turning my full attention to him. He can't know. Aaron can never in a lifetime know about my feelings for Catnip. This boy lives for gossip and if in any case, my secret got out, some stranger would be coming to be to confirm the fact and Catnip would be harassed by half the girls of my grade. It's not her fault that I have a crush on her, but those stupid girls would think she's stealing _me_ from them. _Yeah, I'm the Finnick Odair of District 12._

"Thinking about Stacey?" he asks. Yeah, my so-called girlfriend, Stacey Williams. She'll be the last person I'll be thinking of. I don't really love her and it won't hurt me a lot if she even got reaped. My mom had told me once, 'It's alright to date a girl, but never break her heart.' I had gladly taken that advice, and now that I actually like Catnip and I'm dating Stacey, it wouldn't be fair for her. So I'm already planning on breaking up with her.

I can't let the Catnip thing out, and Aaron has provided me an amazing excuse for my absent-mindedness.

"Kinda…" I replied. Right at this moment, a pair of arms snake around my shoulders from behind me and the hands clasp on my chest. The owner of the arms rests their chin on my shoulder.

"Hey, Hawthorne." _Stacey._ "Thinkin' 'bout me?" She whispers as she breathes me in.

"Yeah…" I whisper back, lying. After all, I can't say 'Nah, not you, bitch. I was thinking about Catnip, my crush.'

On the table, Thom coughs loudly, breaking our embrace. "I think we'll give you two lovebirds some alone time." Calling Stacey and I 'lovebirds' makes me want to puke.

"Sure, Thom, I would appreciate that." Stacey replies, stroking my cheek with her back of her hand_. How much I wish it was Catnip's hand._

Thom gets up to leave and nudges Aaron to do the same.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a few moments!" I call out to them as they leave.

"Not just a _few_ moments, you understand?" Stacey whispers in my ear. What does this girl want? Making out in the middle of the lunch hall, where my crush is also sitting?

I pull her to sit beside me and place a hand at the back of her neck. She runs her hand through my hair, rests it on my shoulder and smiles lightly.

"Stacey, darling, listen to me. We are in the middle of the lunch hall, and I don't want to get all mushy around here. There's the slag heap for that." I speak to her as big brother would advice his younger sister.

"Gale, are you rejecting me?" she accuses me and gets up, "Are you ashamed of me?"

"Stacey, that's not what I meant-" I get up, too.

"What do you mean, then?" she's almost yelling now, earning us the attention of quite a crowd, including Catnip.

"It means that I don't want to cuddle with you in front of everyone!" I yell back and she raises an eyebrow as if asking, _how can anyone _not _cuddle with me? Wherever it be._ "God, what is the problem with you, Stacey Williams?"

"_My_ problem? The problem is with _you_, Gale! _You _are my boyfriend and it gives me the right to cuddle with you whenever I want and also to make a fuss about anything I want!" This infuriated me. Looks like this girl hasn't seen my rage. Right now, I really don't care about anything. Not that I'm arguing with my girlfriend in front of the entire school. Not that Catnip is watching me. All I see is the smug, good-for-nothing Stacey Williams standing in front of me.

"Is that what you think?" She nods, as if she has won. "Hell, you're so naïve. Fine, if you think you have the right to do anything, being my girlfriend, I wanna take that right away from you. I'M BREAKING UP WITH YOU!" I yell and walk out, not even waiting to see her or the crowd's reaction.

"Hey, you can't do that to me!" Stacey calls after me, but I ignore her.

"Gale Hawthorne broke up with Stacey Williams!" I hear some unknown girl announce in an excited tone, followed be excited squeals and giggling.

_Yeah, and you girls think I'm available now._

I roam mindlessly in the hallways until I stumble upon Thom and Aaron towering over some younger girl. I take a closer look then see it, it's not just any girl, it's Catnip.

"Guys, why are you harassing this girl?" I ask my friends, pointing at Catnip, who's been staring at her shoes.

Aaron speaks up, "I accidently stepped on her toe, so she thought punching me was a good idea." There's sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"I'll handle her, you guys go. I'll catch up." I tell them. They nod and walk away.

"Hey, Catnip," I greet the girl of my dreams.

She looks up and stares at me. "The boy with the snares?"

"Huh?" I give her a funny look. She gave me quite a long nickname. I like it, though, 'the boy with the snares'.

"Yeah, I needed something to refer you with, so, I chose this."

"Wasn't my name enough?" I smirk.

"You didn't exactly tell me your name." she sighs.

"I didn't? I'm an idiot!" With this, I jam my palm into my forehead. _Bad decision._ "Oww, that hurt."

It looks like she tries to stifle a giggle. God, why can't she just laugh? It suits her so much.

"By the way, I'm Gale. Gale Hawthorne." I stick my hand out for her to shake. She takes it and gives a slight shake. Her touch has the same feeling, just like earlier at the ceremony. It chills my spine and burns my muscles. Even though the shaking is done, I can't seem to let go of her hand. Then all of a sudden, my gaze falls on her hand, which is still a little purple around the wrist. Guilt takes over me.

"I…I'm really sorry, Catnip. For hurting you." I point to her wrist.

"Gale, you did not intend on doing it. I know. Plus, it was less painful than being electrocuted." She says matter-of-factly. "Thank you…for saving my life…"

"It's okay, Catnip," I reassure her, "Anyway, would you like to take your first snare lesson today?" For the first time since I started noticing her, I see the ghost of a real smile on her face. _I think I could melt right here, right now._

"Yeah, sure." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I'll string a bow for you, then."

"Thanks. Now the question is - where do we meet up?"

"How about the willow clump?" The willow clump…she had said something like that the other day. What was it…?

"The willow clump? Where is that?" I ask her, confused.

"The place where we sat the last time. The hiding, remember?" I nod at her.

"Alright, after school?" I ask her. She nod.

"Sorted. I need to get to class. Bye!" She waves and walks away.

I keep staring at her, a small smile played across my lips. After reaching the end of the hallway, she turns, and smiles at me, probably a real one. Intoxication is the only thing I feel right now…

She waves again and disappears around the corner.

"Gale!" Somebody shouts. "You broke up?" I bet my breakup is going to be the gossip of the school for at least a week.

I look around to find the intruder of my thoughts. _Thom._ He places a hand on my shoulder.

"Buddy, you broke up, right?" His tone is soft and concerned. This guy is the only person apart from my family who, I think, cares for me. Why wouldn't he? He's my best friend since childhood.

"Gale…tell me. What happened? And why the hell are you smiling after a breakup?" He asks me, still concerned, and rubbing my arm in a comforting manner.

I don't really trust my voice right now but I have to speak. I know I can trust Thom and he wouldn't tell anyone. I really need to talk to someone about Catnip and there's nobody better than him. Mom could be an option but halfway through, she'll definitely have a 'I-am-your-mother' lecture.

"Thom, can I trust you to keep your mouth shut? What I'm about to tell you is something no one can know. Not even your sister." It is important to point out about his elder sister, Louisa, because these two are the closest pair of siblings I've ever seen. They never fight, always look out for each other and _never_ keep things from each other. It's a chance, Thom might tell Louisa.

"Of course, stupid, I'm your best friend. I wouldn't tell anyone. Not even Louisa. I promise." He says softly, "Now tell me what the matter is."

I pull him aside and into the backyard of the school, out of every single soul's earshot.

"I broke up with Stacey not just because I was sick of her naïve behaviour, but also because…because I…I have a crush on someone else."

"Who?!" He whisper-shouts. It's not weird to be stunned. After all, it's _Gale Hawthorne_ who has a crush on someone. He's supposed be the one who's desired, not desire.

"Katniss Everdeen." I tell him everything about Catnip. From the incident in the wood, the teaching agreement, the bruise I gave her, to the conversation we had a few minutes ago.

"Are you crazy, Gale? A twelve year old?" I nod proudly. I don't care if she's two years younger than me. I still like her and her age wouldn't change that. "Bro, is she the same girl that the baker boy has a crush on?"

"Yeah…but, how did you know?"

"Anybody with eyes could tell, idiot." I have to laugh at that and he slaps me on the back. "Anyway, I wanna meet her soon. And sorry for troubling your _crush._"

This guy is a seriously incredible friend. And an amazing listener. He listened to every word I said, no matter how stupid it was. I have many friends because of my good looks, but none of them are real. If I have one friend who really cares about the _Gale Hawthorne_ in me, and not the _Finnick Odair _I am compared to, it is Thom. He's more than a friend, he's like a brother.

* * *

I reach early. Catnip isn't here. She must be dropping her sister off at home. These trees are amazing. Not better than pine, though. The willow clump, as she calls it. I never knew they were willow trees until she told me. I know _nothing_ about plants. I wait for her there with my twine ready. I decide to start with a few basic snares first. She wouldn't be able to get to the more complicated ones unless she masters the basic ones.

It's been five minutes since I arrived and there's no sign of Catnip. I start getting restless when I hear some movement in the branches above. I'm instantly on my feet, spear and knife clutched tightly in each hand. I look over my shoulder to check for any threats from behind me, and find none. It's when I turn back, I see Catnip standing right in front of me. I stagger back a few steps in surprise.

"Whoa, Catnip, you scared me," I look at her, bemused. "What was that?"

"What?" Comes her reply.

"A question to a question, huh? Where did you come from?"

"I jumped outta the tree." She says, handing me a bow. "I strung it up for you to practice, just now. If you take care of my precious bow, you might get the ownership of it." Her tone is vicious. I better take care of her bow. At this moment, she looks like she might tear me to shreds if I do anything to her bow.

"I would. Don't worry. Nothing would happen to your _precious_ bow, Catnip." I tell her like a sweet person would talk to a tiny toddler. She scowls.

"Would you mind calling me 'Katniss'?" She boils.

"Yes." I say as I chuckle, "I like Catnip better." She punches my arm. "You're quite strong for a girl your size." I compliment, quickly changing the topic.

"Thanks…I am. I know. I got this strength from my dad." I can feel the pain in her voice when she says 'dad'. She's lost hers, too, recently

"Wait, did you punch Aaron Smith today?" She nods. "How? He's the best wrestler I know-"

"After the three Mellark boys." She corrects me. I don't like the word 'Mellark' on her tongue, though. "Besides, it was sudden, so he didn't get time to react. Also, unexpected, so he wasn't prepared for the blow."

I ask her when she wants to start the snare lesson, and she tells me that she'll teach me archery first. She asks me to take her to some clearing in this part of the woods because she claims she hasn't been hunting here. She hunts in the part of the woods that lies to the east of the district while I, to the north. I don't want to show her the clearing one that overlooks the valley right now. I want to make it special when I show that one to her. So, I take her to a random clearing where the trees that surround it have thick trunks. Good for shooting arrows, I guess. She shows me how to hold the bow and arrow and I try my best to replicate her actions. Her frustration shows that I apparently failed.

"No, Gale, your posture is still not correct." Catnip tuts after correcting me for a thousandth time. It's sad she's already lost a few arrows because of me. She comes over to me and shows me how to do it, again. Then she starts correcting my posture herself. She pats my back. "Keep it straight, and," then she goes over to my elbow and repositions it, "Keep it this way." She kneels down and repositions my foot. "Stretch the bowstring a little more and remember, your grip on your bow should be tighter." She takes a step back and crosses her arms over her chest. "Your stance is perfect now. Take a deep breath, aim and," she pauses. I've been obediently following each instruction she gives me like a five year old. "Release." She instructs again, this time taking in a sharp draw of breath. I carefully release the string of the bow, aiming for that particular spot in the bark of the tree that Catnip marked. This time, my arrow doesn't go into the undergrowth, but sticks in the tree. It still doesn't hit the mark but Catnip looks utterly impressed. I wonder why, though.

"You're a fast learner." She comments. "It'll take a few more lessons, though. Teach me snares now."

"As you say, Catnip." I walk closer to her, stretching the bow out in my hand.

"Kat_niss_" she hisses. God, this girl is adorable when she's angry.

"Alright, _Catnip_," I tease. She just scowls at me.

I lead her to the place where I store my weapons and twine and Catnip frowns.

"You shouldn't keep these here. Under the soil, I mean." She takes the knife and spear and examines their wooden parts. "They'll rot under the soil."

"Where else do I keep them, then?" I ask. I don't know any other place where I can store my things without them getting them destroyed by animals.

"You can keep them with mine, in a hollow log in the eastern woods." She tells me.

"We'll see," I reply indifferently. I mean with me liking her and all that stuff, I should trust her, but in the Seam, you're taught from an early age to not trust anyone quickly. What if I keep my weapons with her and get them damaged somehow? Deep inside, I know she wouldn't do that, but yeah, we Seamers have got some serious trust issues.

Whatever, I still have to teach her snares. So I handover the twine and ask her to make a basic one. It takes her a few minutes to complete it, but when she does, I have to say she's pretty good. It's not perfect like mine or dad's but it's not bad. It's not like it wouldn't catch anything.

"You said your snares never catch anything. This isn't that bad." I comment, still examining the snare in my hand. "Doesn't look like it wouldn't catch anything."

"It doesn't." She states dryly. "I practiced all night yesterday, so it's pretty decent." What? She practiced all night? Like, _stayed up_ the whole night?

"Why…"

"I have a family to feed, too, if you care." She mutters under her breath.

I study her snare more closely. There is something vaguely familiar with this snare. I can't remember what, but it's _something_. It looks like I've seen this snare somewhere. I just can't place it. I haven't set this particular snare in a long while. But I definitely know this. How, I can't place.

"Where did you learn this?" I ask.

"Chris taught me…" she mumbles. Chris…wait, that's my dad's name. How did he… Oh, yeah, she's Fred Everdeen's daughter. He was dad's friend and hunting partner. _That's how I know the snare,_ I think, _Dad taught me this one years ago, though I never used it much._ "Sorry, you might not know Chris, he was my dad's friend." Past tense. But when she said, _you might not know Chris,_ it hurt. It hurt like I broke a bone. He was my dad…how could I not know him? But then again, Katniss doesn't know I'm his son. She wouldn't have been keeping tabs on me, would she? And then for the first time since I have first seen her, I see some emotion on her expressionless face. A grimace spread across her delicate features, pain written on her face. She exhales a sharp breath and says something I didn't want to hear, "They both died…"

After a moment of silence, I find myself mirroring her pained expression. I think I should just tell her about my dad. She knew my dad well and she has the right to know. "I am his son, you know…" I whisper so quietly, I doubt if she even heard. Apparently, she did. She's a hunter too. I know she did, because the next thing I know, her eyes are wide as saucers and she's gaping at me.

"Y-You're-" she stutters.

"Yes," I sigh. "Let's just not talk about this, please? It's too painful," she merely nods. "Back to the snares," I abruptly change the topic.

I teach her the basic ones today, and yes, she masters them pretty quickly. When I compare myself with a bow to her with a twine, I feel ashamed. Really ashamed. I mean, she lost about five of her arrows because I couldn't shoot straight and she already knew the basics of snares.

It is getting dark. I know both of need to head home now. I checked my snare line while giving Catnip lessons, and came up with four fat rabbits. Catnip couldn't hunt because she couldn't take me on her hunting trail when I'm inexperienced with a bow, and clearly, her hunting bag is empty. Her family would have to go to bed on an empty stomach because she was busy giving me archery lessons. This doesn't exactly feel correct. The words tumble out of my mouth without I can process them.

"Take two of these rabbits, Catnip."

"Charity doesn't work very well with us, Seamers. You are one, too, you should know." She replies bitterly and scowls.

"You couldn't hunt anything because you were giving me lessons and this isn't right!" I almost yell. "This isn't charity, it's compensation for your lost time."

"I can't…" Her features soften a little, "This is your family's food."

"Take it, Catnip, I insist."

"Fine," she huffs. And there, the scowl is back.

While we walk to the fence, I realise she can walk as silently through the wood as I can, which is good. We duck though the fence, and part ways. As Catnip's about to disappear in the darkness, I call after her,

"Bye, Catnip!"

To my surprise, she turns back and replied, "Bye, Gale! By the way, it's Katniss!"

"Hunting after school, tomorrow?"

"Yeah.

* * *

_I spent a day in the woods with my crush, her touch had the same effect on me, like ice and fire mixed together, the way she corrected my stance with her hands, my fingers moving hers when she went wrong on a snare. We're gonna be together again, tomorrow, what can be better? Despite the almost-emotional-breakdown we had today, this is easily one of the best day in my life. Guess I'm looking forward to having a Hunting Partner soon._


	5. Nickname

**A/N: Hey, my lovely readers! I'm really sorry for the late update! :''( But, I have a valid reason this time, I guess. I had an MUN conference to attend this weekend, and it can be really tiring, so I didn't feel like doing all that proofread stuff at all. Please forgive me! **

**I would like to thank all the lovely people who took time to review my story. I really appreciate it. **

**To strangerthings1204 – I felt really happy knowing there are people out there who like stories from Gale's POV. I love reading from his POV too, and about writing, I somehow can't find it in myself to write from Katniss's POV. SC wrote three entire books from her POV, after all.**

**Guys, just a general thing about the story – in ch-2, there's this character of mine named Eron, and then in ch-4, there's a guy named Aaron. So, these two guys are the same person. While writing ch-4, I freaking **_**forgot**_** that I had named Eron. I'm stupid, I know. Anyway, so this guy will remain Aaron, and not Eron.**

**Disclaimer: If **_**The Hunger Games**_** was mine, then Peeta would never have tormented Gale and his Catnip's love life.**

Nickname

_I came home to my mother's screams._

"_Mom! What happened?" I dropped everything, ran and barged into her room. She was lying on the bed, clutching her swollen belly._

"_Your sister's coming." She panted, "Get the apothecary, quick!" _

_I ran out of the house, all the way through the Seam, with no idea where the apothecary's house was. I knew it was the blonde Seam woman - Katniss' mother - but where she lived, that was a question to be asked. Lucky for me, I ran into Thom. He must've sensed my frantic demeanour as he gently started questioning me about what was wrong._

"_Mom-apothecary-Where does the apothecary live?" I asked, finally composing myself enough. He plainly pointed to a house at the edge of the Seam, since I was already almost there. _

_I ran. I ran on top speed until my legs begged me to stop. I ran until I reached the particular doorstep Thom pointed to. I banged on the wooden door with all my might, maybe loud enough for ten nearby households to hear. All that I knew in that moment was that my mom was in pain and she needed help. I didn't care what anyone thought of my frantic behaviour. _

_Maybe the banging was actually too loud, because mere seconds later, the door flew open, revealing a tiny blonde-headed girl. _Katniss' sister.

"_Where's the apothecary?" I barked at the little blonde-head. At first, she shrank. Then as if somebody injected her with a vial full of courage, she replied me boldly._

"_My mom is not well, maybe I can help you. What happened?" She said._

"_You?" I scoffed angrily. Was that girl joking? I bet she didn't know about one herb. I cocked my head to the side in an intimidating manner, hoping she would just call her mother. "You're a little girl. How can _you_ help with a delivery?"_

"_Watch your attitude, big guy." She pointed a finger at me, "I may not be fully trained to be an apothecary, but I can still help. Little help is better than no help - when it comes to deliveries."_

_This girl had a point. _Little help is better that no help when you're helpless.

"_Where's your house?" she asked confidently, already preparing a bag with all the herbs and supplies she'll need._

_I took her to my place, only to find my mother in a serious condition. The little girl instructed me out and began with her work. _

_I had been waiting outside for about fifteen minutes, when a thought hit me. Amidst all this chaos, I completely forgot about my brothers. I had no idea where they were. Maybe for the first time in my life, I decided to stay calm about a situation. I sat and raced my mind about where they could be._

_Maybe they were playing around they Seam? They'll come home in while, if that's the case._

_Maybe they were at a friend's house? They'll still come home before dark; I had given them enough instructions and warnings about that._

_Then came out the more protective and worrisome side of me._

_What if they went near the community home, where gangsters and bullies roamed all around?_

_What if they went to the town and were abused by a witch, like the baker's wife?_

_What if they went around the Hob and someone tried to attack them?_

_I needed to go and check for them, I was their 'Big Brother' after all; as they liked to call me. And Big Brothers were supposed to keep their younger siblings out of danger, keep them safe, protect them. As I got to my feet to go around looking for my little brothers, they turned around a corner and came into my view, skipping all the way over to our home._

"_Hey, Big Brother," Rory waved, "Why are you standing out here, in the cold?" When Rory mentioned _cold_, I realized how chilly it had gotten. It was January, after all. Probably I was just too consumed in my worry- first, for mom, and then for these kiddos- I forgot to think of myself. I was practically shivering. The sun was hovering over the horizon, now. It was obvious to get cold._

"_What happened, Big Brother? Did mom throw you outta the house?" Rory snickered._

"_No," I gave a weak laugh, "Mom didn't. Someone else did, though."_

"_Who?" Vick chimed in, speaking for the first time during our entire interaction._

"_Good question," I grow serious, "No, more joking around, boys. This is serious. Mom is giving birth and we are not supposed to go inside until the mini-apothecary calls us. Understand? Any questions?" They shook their heads slowly, looking horrified. _

_Three of us sat there for maybe another hour before the blonde-head came out, walking straight towards me, and sighing._

"_You came to get me right on time, sir. If you had been just a little late, your mother…she could have..." she whispered the next word, much to my horror, "…died."_

Died…_that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Not until I'm alive, at least. I wouldn't let anything happen to my mother, my brothers, even my newborn sibling. Nothing would happen to my family, I wouldn't let it. _They would be fine,_ I try to reassure myself, _I'll always be there for them.

_I took one glance at the two young boys hiding behind me. This blonde-head's words definitely had an immense effect on them. Rory and Vick had terrified expressions plastered on their faces and they were both visibly shaking. _

"_I-is she f-fine now?" As I say this, I realize I am shaking, too. _

"_Oh, yes," a smile grazed the blonde-head's face, "She's weak, but she'll be fine in a day or two. And the baby, she's indeed a healthy and beautiful baby girl. Very unique."_

_Rory peeked out from behind me, noticing the blonde-head. _

"_Hi, Primrose," he said shyly, "Thank you for helping,"_

"_Hi, Rory," Primrose replied, staring at my little brother. He did the same. Then as if on cue, the two seven-year-olds looked down at their feet and started blushing furiously._

"_So, you two know each other?" I teased, interrupting their 'who-can-blush-more' competition, earning a glare from Rory._

"_We're in the same grade, Gale," Rory answered, eyeing me with a look that said, _it's not what you think it is, don't use your brain much.

_Well, what did he think I was thinking? I was way better than my little brother when it came to girls. This Primrose girl, my crush's sister, actually, definitely had a crush on my brother. And he had a crush on her, too. Seriously, another Hawthorne guy crazy over an Everdeen girl. _

"_So, Primrose,' I break the awkward silence that followed, "I seriously don't know how to thank you. I can't afford to pay you right now, but I promise to pay as soon as I have money."_

"_It's alright," she said sweetly, "I suggest you go in and see your mother and baby sister."_

_The three of us, boys, didn't need another word to just barge in and rush to our mother._

_She sat on her bed, a tiny baby in her arms. My baby sister. I sat down next to her and glanced at the baby, smiling uncontrollably. Her tiny body was wrapped in a blanket, and she was sleeping peacefully. The most astonishing was the fact that she had pale red hair, unlike the entire Seam with raven hair. _

_In the Seam, the news of having another mouth to feed was usually treated with dismay, but with my baby sister in my mother's arms – another mouth to feed – I could only feel happiness and utter delight surging through me. For the first time since my father's death, I saw a real, genuine smile crack on my mother's face. I hadn't seen her this happy since the accident. _

"_C-can I hold her?" I asked mom, and she nodded, placing my baby sister in my arms. As soon as I held her, her eyes fluttered open, revealing bright green orbs that bore directly into my grey ones. I'd only held this baby for the first time and only for a few seconds, for that matter, but I felt an instant connection form between us. A bond of love. The kind of love and protectiveness an elder brother would have for his baby sister melting into a chain and keeping us together._

"_What did you name her, mom?" Vick asked. Nice, I hadn't even thought about the name. This was one thing special about Vick. He was extremely shy and didn't speak much, but when he did, he spoke of importance. Like, we had all forgotten to name the baby, but he hadn't. _

"_You know," mom said, looking down at the baby affectionately, "She's not like the rest of us – dull. We're all black and grey, covered in coal dust. Look at her, she looks so fresh, so colourful, so vibrant. Like a posy of red roses, so…Posy. Did you guys like it?"_

"_Posy…" I let the name roll on my tongue, "…I like it. It's brilliant. How about you, boys?"_

_They both cheered in unison and took turns holding their sister. This was the first time since the accident that my family was so happy. They were all smiling and laughing and really, truly happy. I was just surprised how such a tiny, little baby could bring happiness to all of us, just by her presence._

* * *

I wake up, drenched in a cold sweat. It's been eight months since my sister was born and I still can't decide how I feel about that day. I can't even believe how so many emotions can course through a person in just a little more than two hours. Worry. I worried for my brothers' safety that day when they didn't turn up on time. Fear. I feared for my mother's life when Primrose claimed she could have died. I, Gale Hawthorne of all people, the fearless hunter, was afraid that day. Amusement. I was immensely amused when I saw my teeny-tiny yet rowdy brother blush at Primrose. And last of all, happiness. That happiness that I felt when I first held my baby sister in my arms. That happiness I felt on being a big brother again. On that day, I realized that not just my family, but I had also not been happy since dad died. I too, was just keeping up a fake façade to reassure my family. None of us had been happy until baby Posy arrived.

I look out of the window that is above my bed, and see that the sun is beginning to creep out. Shit, I overslept. I had to go to the woods and check the snare line. As I think this, yesterday's events come rushing into my mind.

I had come home from the woods after hunting with Catnip and obviously, losing few of her arrows during my archery lesson. It's been a week since we started hunting together. Well, not exactly hunting, something similar to that. I first check my snare line while Catnip ventures into the woods to look for game. After that, we give each other lessons. I really love it when she goes wrong somewhere while making a snare and then I have to correct her by gently moving her small fingers with my rough, large hands…

I quickly shake my head clear of Catnip. I have other things to worry about. Like coming back home and your baby sister recognising you as her dad instead of brother. This very thing happened to me yesterday.

I came home and walked into the living room where all three of my siblings sat, playing by themselves. Out of routine, I hugged each of my brothers and then went on to kiss Posy's forehead. When I pulled back, she giggled and said, "Daddy…"

I rushed out of the living room, too shaken to even remove my hunting gear before plopping down on my bed, in the confines of my room, all muddy and sweaty. I even refused dinner when Vick came to summon me. I just sat there and wallowed in my grief. The only thing that crossed my mind was the fact that my sister would never see her father's face.

In that moment I realized just how much I needed my father right now. _I need my dad. I want my dad._ I didn't even realize when a single tear escaped my eye.

Rory must have told mom what happened, because after dinner, she softly came into my room, a large box placed in her hands, and sat beside me. On instinct, I just threw my arms around her, hiding my face in her dark locks. Mom silently rubbed my back and smoothed my hair, succeeding in comforting me a bit. We sat there like that for god knows how long, before I decided to break the silence with a soft whisper.

"I miss him, mom. I miss him so much. It's…it's just that Posy would never really know him, you know. She'll never even see him. It hurts, considering all this is true."

Mom squeezed me tighter. "Shh, Gale, it'll be fine. I know Posy would never get to know him. But you know what? We have this," she put the box she brought with her on my lap. "We have his memories. _She_ will have his memories. Plus, she'll have you. I don't think you realize this, but you're much more similar to your dad than you think you are. You're just like him. Brave. Fierce. Rebellious. Strong. But still tender when it comes to the ones you love. You love to love. But at the same time, you know how to hate the ones who deserve your hatred. You're extremely protective of the people you care about." Mom pulled back and looked me right in the eye. I was just surprised that all the things she spoke were true. I _am _that way.

"Gale, you are the one who helps me hold on. Who convinces me that Chris never truly died. His body left, but his spirit? His spirit never died. He passed it on to you. The fire he held in his eyes, I can see that very same fire in your eyes. Don't worry about Posy, she's a strong child, just like you and your dad. Now, I have something to show you,"

Mom opened the box and carefully, delicately asks me to look at its contents. I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips when I peeked inside. That box contained my father's most prized possessions. His light-brown coloured leather hunting jacket. His hunting boots. Some books from the pre-Panem era, like Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet,' some fairy tales, like 'The Beauty and The Beast' and 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' Another book that contains a collection of stories about a brave knight. His mother's wedding ring. A notepad that contained all of the poems he had written for mom. A prized, red bowtie…

I had looked for these items all around the house for the first few days after dad's death. I just wanted to keep them close to me, but I couldn't find them anywhere. After about a week, I gave up. It was very unlike me to give up, but I couldn't dwell on it. Getting food on the table was more important. It still is.

"Mom, where we-"

"I hid them." Mom cut me off, "After we came back from the mines…_that_ day, it was too painful to see them scattered all over the place. So, I stashed them all in this box and hid it under my bed. But today, after all that happened, I realized that running away from his memories would never ebb the pain. The only thing that can ease it is cherishing the happy moments we had together. After all, at some point, we all need to face the truth. The truth is, that Chris would not come back, we would all miss him dearly, but I can't dwell on that fact. You know, the one thing that I can do for him now, is keep our children happy and healthy. Here," Mom handed me the box, "I want you to have this."

"Me? All of this? Why?"

Mom smiled and kissed my cheek. "You were his favourite son, after all."

"Seriously?" I beam.

"Yep," Mom had successfully cheered me up.

As I peek out of the window again, I see that the sun has already crossed the horizon. I'm really late now. Catnip's gonna be really pissed.

I get out of bed, and notice I hadn't even changed out of my hunting clothes from yesterday. I quickly change into a fresh pair of shirt and pants and proudly don my father's hunting jacket and boots. I rush out the door after that, grabbing my hunting bag on the way.

I practically jog all the way to the willow clump where I've been meeting my Catnip this entire week. When I reach there, I look around for her. Well, well, my Catnip has disappeared. She's nowhere to be found. Just when I'm about to go and check my snares, I sense footsteps. _Her _footsteps. _My Catnip's_ footsteps.

"You're late." She snaps from behind me, and I can sure as hell detect the scowl in her voice.

"Well, Catnip, you came here after me," I turn around with a smirk spread across my lips.

"Sure, I did. But after getting a good haul." She holds out three rabbits and two squirrels, all shot right in the eye - her speciality.

"Nice, Catnip. Sorry for being late, though. I overslept," I say with a sheepish grin.

"I guess I can let it slide, 'cause today's Sunday." She announces. Yeah, today is Sunday, which means I get to spend the entire day with Catnip, hunting in the woods. On a Sunday, exactly two weeks ago, I met my Catnip for the first time.

I just wanted to run to her, wrap my arms around her and shout in her ear, _Happy two-week anniversary, Catnip!_ But in the past days, I got know her well enough to know that her reaction wouldn't be something I would like. She would freak out and run and never talk to me ever again.

"C'mon, Hawthorne! Let's better check your traps." Catnip says, already walking in the direction of my snare line. I want to move my feet, but I can't find it in myself to walk. I just stare at my Catnip as she grows more frustrated by my unresponsive behaviour. She looks adorable when she's frustrated. _Maybe I'll like to annoy her sometimes._

"Gale! Are you even listening?" she demands, "Let's go check your snares." In a moment, she's beside me, gripping my arm and dragging me behind her.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something," _I was thinking about how amazing you are, _I want to tell her, but obviously, I won't.

* * *

After checking the snare line, both Catnip and I catch a fairly large haul. Ten rabbits, five squirrels, a beaver and a turkey.

Both of us sit in the willow clump, resting, after giving each other our respective lessons. And, yes! I finally hit the bull's eye today. Nothing could've been more perfect today. My dad's jacket. An amazing haul. Hitting the bull's eye. The comfortable silence I share with Catnip. Even just basking in her presence.

All of a sudden, a lynx pops out in front of us, from where, is a question. Catnip's eyes light up on seeing it. It's an obvious reaction, it's a good, meaty lynx. The butcher's gonna give a nice price for it. Her hands automatically reach out for her bow and arrow. She quickly gains her stance and aims for the lynx' eye.

But the animal keeps advancing towards her until it is too close to shoot. I quickly pull out my hunting knife, just in case it tries to hurt my Catnip. It doesn't, though. It just curls around her feet and purrs.

"Don't tell me this thing is following me around," Catnip mumbles under her breath.

"Following you around? What do you mean, Catnip?" I ask. It doesn't make any sense. Why would a lynx follow her?

"I fed him some entrails this morning while you weren't there. It's been following me around since then." I laugh.

"He's fond of you." I comment and she gets a disgusted look on her face.

"_Fond_ of me?" She snickers, "Nobody's fond of me."

Her statement hurts. She doesn't realize the effect she has on the people around her. Even if she's sullen, and doesn't smile, she's a beacon of hope for all of us, coal-covered people. Almost half the district now recognizes her as the young, brave, twelve year old huntress who would do anything to keep her family alive, even if it means subjecting herself to the possibility of getting caught. And getting caught poaching off Capitol land means _death._ But she's brave enough to die with a bullet to the head that by painfully, slowly starving, or even ending up at old Cray's doorstep.

There are so many people who are fond of her. Like me. I am so fond of her, I almost love her. I still wouldn't call it love. Love is a really big commitment, like _really_ big, and a fourteen year old can't commit such a thing. I'm sure, though, that this is not a stupid, school-boy crush. What I feel for her is close to love.

My mom is fond of her, too. She hasn't met Catnip even once, she's just heard what I tell her, still she tells me that she's sure that Catnip is an amazing person. And yes, I have to say, mom's right. And that baker's lad, Peeta Mellark. He keeps staring at my Catnip all day, while he thinks nobody is noticing. He has, in a way, already confessed to me that he has a crush on my Catnip. At first I thought that Peeta would be a competitor, but he's not even close. At school, each time Catnip and I's eyes meet, she gives a tight, curt smile, and I grin at her, while she doesn't even as much as glance Mellark's way.

And her sister, Primrose; Prim, for short. That much I have got to know over the months since I first met her. She's too fond of my Catnip. Every day, after schools ends, I see her little sister run up to her and give her a huge, warm hug. I still don't know much about her sister, except her name and that she's too fond of her elder sister and that she looks completely out of place in the Seam with her blonde hair and blue eyes.

All in all, there is one common emotion that all eyes of District 12 hold for Catnip. Respect. Despite her age, Catnip is deeply respected by all in District 12 for her spirit, her fire, her fierceness and her selflessness. If all that doesn't count as being _fond_ of her, then I don't know what does.

"That's not true, Catnip," I say, though I know it doesn't change her perception.

"Whatever you wanna say," she snorts, "It's getting late, let's go. Plus, my name's Katniss."

I quietly oblige, following behind her, taking her back.

* * *

A day passes, then two, then three, but that lynx doesn't leave Catnip, and I can tell she is getting more annoyed by the second. She keeps complaining that the lynx is scaring the game away, and yes, she's absolutely right. Our daily catch has been dwindling 'cause as soon as Catnip sets her foot in woods, the lynx reappears. And a lynx is a predator. It is natural for smaller animals – that are our prey - to hide away in their burrows.

On the fourth morning since the lynx invasion, I reach the willow clump to find Catnip kneeling down beside the dead lynx and working on his pelt. It's surprising she didn't notice me coming till now, so I decide to sneak up on her.

"You KILLED him?!" I exclaim with mock accusation, and she seriously jumps out of her skin.

"Don't sneak up on me." She says in a calm tone, regaining her composure a little too quickly. "I didn't want to get my family to starve because of this stupid lynx, so I killed him. He's gonna get us a good price, though."

"Right," I grinned, and then we took off, hunting.

Later today, while Catnip gives me shooting lessons, a thought hits me, and I burst out laughing.

"What?" Catnip snaps.

Before I even know it, words pour out of my mouth without my permission. "You know, Catnip, you're Catnip and catnip is also an herb that cats get addicted to. And-and lynx is a type of big cat. So, if I imagine you as an addictive herb and that lynx was definitely a cat and he was _addicted _to you." I am laughing uncontrollably now. "If you think it that way, it all makes sense. A cat being addicted to catnip. Now," I smirk, "Now that I've confirmed that you really are catnip, I'm gonna call you Catnip forever, no matter how much you object to it."

I look at Catnip, her face still void of any emotions, but there is a brief glint in her eyes that tells me that she is…happy, maybe? That glint disappears as soon as it came, and now she looks flustered.

"Can't you just call me 'Katniss'?"

"No, _Catnip, _'cause you're an addictive herb that's named catnip." More like, _I'm addicted to Catnip, too; just, not the herb._

"Fine!" She huffs, "But if you call me 'Catnip', then I'll call you 'Idiot.'"

"I don't mind, Catnip."

"Fine, Idiot." She gets to her feet, walks past me and calls over her shoulder, "I'll leave the wood, now. It'll be dark soon. I suggest you do, too, _Idiot._"

* * *

_My Catnip just gave me a nickname. I gave her a permanent one, too, though. She'll be my Catnip forever, now. 'Idiot', she calls me. An insult like that should have offended me. Instead, it brings me joy when it comes out of her mouth. I really like the nicknames we gave each other. Catnip and her Idiot._


	6. Smile

**A/N: Hey readers! I'm back! And this time, the update is on time! Yayyyyy! **

**Disclaimer: **_**The Hunger Games**_** is not mine. If it had been, then **_**Mockingjay **_**wouldn't have ended the way it did and Finnick an Prim would have been alive and Gale and his Catnip would have had a happily ever after, after the rebellion.**

Smile

My Catnip looks out into the tall pine trees. She has been especially upset today. She is also very quiet today. I don't like it this way. In the past two months, we have warmed up to each other enough to talk comfortably. We talk hunting, though, rarely anything more than that. We carefully leave aside the topic of our fathers. She believes it is too painful to talk about it. She believes what my mother believed at first. She believes hiding away from the reality would somehow make it false. It's not good what she believes, though. It's going to get back on her this way. It would hurt her. She doesn't talk about her father. She doesn't sing anymore. My father once told me that she and Fred both sing very well. So good that even the birds stop their chirps to listen. She thinks singing would remind her of her father, and that thinking about him would be painful. She doesn't understand, though, that her father, who I'm sure is watching her from heaven, would he not be upset to know that his daughter stopped singing because he died? Fred wouldn't be happy about it, I'm sure. It would hurt her father to see that his daughter changed herself completely, because he died. Much matter how much she denies it, she _has_ changed herself completely. She doesn't even smile anymore. I do not smile very often, too, but I still do. People who hold a special place in my heart, like my mother, my brothers, my baby sister, Thom, Catnip, these people are capable enough to get a smile out of me. Does she not have anyone special in life, except for her sister? Prim is the only person with whom I have ever seen her smile a real, genuine smile. I haven't met her sister, yet. Technically, I have, when she came for mom's delivery that day, but Catnip hasn't formally introduced me to her, yet. So, every time I see her smile, it's from a distance. A good, safe distance, from where I know she wouldn't notice me watching her. A good, safe distance slightly blurs the thing you're trying to see, and that's exactly what happens with me, so I haven't properly seen her smile. Ever. I bet it's a beautiful one, though.

She hasn't ever told me anything I said right now. It's just…I just look at her and seem to comprehend what's going on in her mind. She's probably the only person I know who can hide their emotions so well. She might succeed in hiding her emotions from the world, but not me. For me, reading her feels like reading from an open book. It's just simple. This is one thing I can't understand. How am I able to read her so well? Maybe it's because I share her pain. I am a fatherless teenager sacrificing my innocence to support my family. She is doing so, too.

I am usually able to read my Catnip's conflicting emotions with ease. Today, though, it's different. I can just look at her and tell that's sad, even through her hard, stoic mask. The reason for her sadness, though, is beyond my grasp, and I can't bear to watch my Catnip like this anymore. So, I ask.

"What's wrong, Catnip?" I ask, breaking the silence around us. Over the last two months, her objections to this particular nickname have become fewer and far apart. I guess she's becoming accustomed to it. I don't mind her calling me Idiot if I get to call her Catnip.

She bites her lip, so that I do not see it quivering, but I do. I see it. I also see a tear that she successfully blinks back. This is the most vulnerable I've ever seen her. Something is terribly wrong.

"Nothing's wrong," she replies after taking a few seconds to compose herself. "Nothing is wrong." She repeats quietly, mostly to herself, I guess.

"C'mon, Catnip, I know something's not quite right. I can see it. You know you can tell me, right?" I say in a calm, composed voice, though seeing my Catnip this way is breaking me on the inside. "Tell me what's bothering you."

She doesn't tell me. Not immediately, at least. After much persuasion and requesting and reassuring, Catnip finally tells me.

"T-today…today used t-to b-be…" her voice cracks, but she's a fast one and recomposes quickly. "Today used to be my father's birthday." Her voice is barely above inaudible, I'm surprised I even catch it. she closes her eyes and breaths evenly.

"Oh, Catnip," I start speaking, but I myself don't know what I would say. Anything. Just anything that would make my Catnip feel better. Before I even know it, I say the thing I've been wanting to do for quite a while now. "I want to take you somewhere."

I stand up and offer her my hand. She ignores it completely, getting to her feet without any help. Typical Catnip. Too self dependant. I walk ahead and my Catnip follows me. My feet automatically take me on the familiar trail that leads to the rock. That rock that overlooks the valley that is as beautiful as my Catnip's face.

The thing about this clearing is that you can't sense there's a clearing ahead until you're like two feet away from it. It is shielded from plain view by thick trees.

When we reach the clearing, Catnip all but runs from behind me and gasps. "Wow…"

The valley is even more beautiful now, with the December snow covering the ground and pine trees and the river half frozen. I turn to look at my Catnip, and for the first time – for the first time, I see a beautiful smile spread across her face. I feel intoxicated. Her smile is intoxicating me. It is too beautiful for me to handle. It looks like the grey winter sky has lit up a few shades, but it's just her smile. Her smile is too bright. It's beautiful. It's too beautiful. Her pretty face looks complete with that bright smile of hers. Right now, smiling, she doesn't look like a twenty-five year old woman in a twelve year old's body. She looks like an innocent, pure twelve year old girl who doesn't need to worry about putting a meal on her family's table that night. She looks like a girl who might have a normal childhood, not tormented by starvation and death and the Capitol's sick Games.

Why are we starving in the districts? The Capitol makes us starve. Why is there death in the districts? Accidents that occur in the Capitol's mines. The starvation we go through because of the low wages the Capitol gives and their oppression. Well, the Games? They are a direct death threat hanging over the head of every single teenager in Panem. The next Reaping would be my Catnip's second year of eligibility. She's already survived her first year. If she gets reaped next year, I don't know if I would be able to see my thirteen year old Catnip die a merciless death. Anyone under fifteen never stood a chance in the Games. That Finnick Odair of District 4 was lucky, though. He won his Games at fourteen – youngest ever.

This is exactly what the Capitol wants from us. They want us to lose all hope. Like, _anyone under fifteen never stood a chance in the games._ They want the districts to lose hope, because hope is the only thing stronger than fear. And as long as we have hope, as long as we believe that maybe, just maybe there is a chance that the we could be free from the Capitol's oppression, we, the people of the districts, would do anything to end this sadistic oppression. We all hate the Capitol. We all hate Snow, yet there are only a few who have the courage to voice their opinion. Like me. Like my father.

The Capitol's Games, it's starvation, it's mines, it's oppression, they have all killed the innocence that the girl I like once possessed. They destroyed her smile. They stole her voice. It just makes me hate the Capitol all the way more. For my Catnip.

"This would be our meeting place from tomorrow." Catnip breaks my train of thoughts with her angelic voice.

"What?" I ask, still in a sort of daze her smile put me into.

"This will be our meeting place from tomorrow." She smiles again. Everything is half-clear to me right now. All that I know right now is that my Catnip's smiling bright, big smile and that this smile is on her face because I brought her here. _This smile is because of me._

I am so dazed, I don't realize when Catnip _takes_ my hand and leads me over to the rock. _Did my Catnip just hold my hand?_ She sits down on the rock and pats the space next to her, indicating me to sit. I follow my Catnip's order – how could I not? - and plop down next to her.

"Thank you, Gale," Her voice is soft and warm and this is probably the first time she's called me by my real in almost a week. "Thank you so much for making me feel better."

"I'm glad I could, Catnip," I reply in the same soft tone. "So, we meet here tomorrow morning?" she nods.

Catnip gets up and I follow suit. "I think we should leave, now." And just like that, she's disappeared under the foliage. I watch her go, just like I always do. I don't move until she's completely out of my sight.

I walk back to the fence alone. We didn't catch much today. Maybe just a squirrel or two extra to trade. I decide it can wait until tomorrow morning. I want to get home, 'cause I'm still in a sort of daze, with my Catnip's smile glued on my eyes. So instead of the road to town, I take the road to the Seam.

* * *

I walk into my home, still in a dreamy haze. _My Catnip's smile._ That is the only thing on my mind. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

I distinctively hear my brothers playing some sort of game that requires making a lot of noise. Yes, they are noisy. Scratch that - not both of my brothers are noisy. Rory is. Vick, well, he's a quiet fellow, but when with Rory, he can sometimes be noisy, too.

"I'm home!" I call, and a moment later, I feel two pairs of skinny arms go around me. I look down to see my brothers hugging legs and torso, huge smiles plastered on their faces. Smiles. Their smile is beautiful, too. I feel happy, seeing my brothers smile. Smiles. Just like Catnip's but maybe, hers was more beautiful.

"Hi, Gale," my brothers say in unison.

"Hi, boys," I greet back and go off to the kitchen to see mom.

"Hey, mum," I say as I enter the kitchen and give mom a huge hug.

"Boy, what's on your mind, today? You seem happy." Mom inquires. One thing about my mom is that, you can't keep anything from her. She'll just get it out of you. Secrets don't work well with her.

My little brother, Rory, walks into the kitchen, and speaks before I could answer mom's question. "Gale, are you drunk?"

"Sorta," I smirk.

My mom gasps, thinking I might have actually drunk something I shouldn't have. "Gale, are you _actually_ drunk? I'll throw you out of the house if you are." She warns. Did she really just believe my brother's crap?

"No, mom! Definitely not! I haven't had a drop of liquor, but," I pause, then look at them mischievously, "I feel like I am drunk."

"How, and why, I may ask?" Mom asks.

"Catnip," I state simply with a smirk, and turn on my heel to exit the kitchen.

I go to the living room and sit on the couch. As soon as my butt hits the threadbare cloth covering the ancient couch, I realise how wrong the thing I just said would have sounded. Before I could get up and go clear the things up, mom storms into the living room, with Rory on her heel. The worst thing, she looks _furious_. It's almost as if there's steam pouring out of her ears.

"Gale Peter Hawthorne!" Mom towers over me, one hand on her hip, the other grabbing my collar. I gulp. I already know I'm in big trouble. "Are you high on catnip?!"

"N-no…mom," I stammer. Mothers can get the best of you. I never thought that I, Gale Hawthorne, the fierce illegal hunter, would stammer in fear. "I-it's not the herb I was t-talking about. T-the girl Catnip."

"Stop making excuses, boy! I want the truth. Now!" Her grip on my collar tightens. "And what, _girl_ Catnip?!"

"K-Katniss…" I stutter again. "I call her Catnip."

"What about her?" Mom is still angry, but her grip on my collar loosens. I vaguely hear Rory muttering something about 'a love struck puppy' before he disappears into the room along with the younger kids.

"What about Katniss?" Mom repeats. Her tone is noticeably softer now. I hope she doesn't _actually_ throw me out of the house now.

"She smiled," I don't feel as calm as my voice sounds. Mom releases my collar and sits down next to me. "For the first time."

"Aw, my little love struck baby!" Mom slings an arm around my shoulder. I have never seen anyone change so quickly. My mom literally transformed from the angry goddess to the loving, teasing mother in what looks like just a few seconds.

"I'm not love struck," I try to defend myself, but probably failing miserably at it, considering mom's ever-growing smirk. My too happy, too relaxed expression must have given it away. I don't want my family to think of me as a love struck schoolboy who would do just _anything_ for his crush. "And I'm not little and neither am I a baby." I _try _to defend myself, again.

"You'll always be my little baby," Mom coos in a way that annoys the hell out of me. Well, just to annoy me further, I guess, she pinches my cheek. She knows I hate it when anyone does that.

"Oww…mom, it hurts," I protest. Instead of releasing my now aching cheek, mom pinches my other one as well.

When she finally – finally – releases my cheeks, they ache so bad, I have to rub them intensely for a few minutes. I feel like pushing a snappy remark out of my mouth, but stop myself, thinking, _dude, she's your mom, and she's just being playful with you._

All of a sudden, mom starts speaking. "I know how it feels, you know?" she has a hint of a smile in her voice.

"What?" I ask softly.

"I know how it feels like when your crush smiles at you, especially for the first time. I felt the same way…" she pauses and takes a dreamy sigh, "…when Chris first smiled at me, all those years ago…" she has her eyes closed now. "But my mom didn't get _this _angry, though. Ask why."

"Why?"

"Because your dad didn't share his name with a drug," she says and then bursts out laughing. Some great man said that laughter is contagious. Well, if I find him today, I would tell him that his theory is completely true, because I'm laughing, too, and I'm laughing very hard, despite my efforts to stifle it.

"He used to be a grumpy one like you," mom pokes my side, which makes me giggle. Gosh, it tickles so badly, here. Mom seems to catch on this, because now, she starts to _actually, purposefully _tickle me.

I continue giggling, begging her through my laughter to stop. Mothers can _seriously_ get the best of you. I never thought that _I_ would _ever_ stutter or giggle in my life, and I did both today, thanks to my mom.

"Kiddos," she calls my siblings, "Come out," My brothers' innocent faces appear in the doorway, with Rory carrying baby Posy.

"Come here," Mom calls again. My brothers take short strides towards the couch. As soon as Rory sees me, curled up on the couch in an attempt to avoid mom's tickling assault on me while laughing my head off, his eyes light up.

"Yeah!" He exclaims, while carefully setting his baby sister on the small, ancient coffee table we own. "This is gonna be fun!"

Rory runs towards me and jumps on top of me, forcing all air out of my lungs. He tries to pin me to the couch, which is a joke on him, 'cause we all know that he _cannot_ tackle me. I'm much bigger and heavier than him. I pretend that he actually pinned me, though. I see the happy, triumphant look on his face, and I wouldn't want to wipe it off. What big brother would not do this if it means his brother's happiness?

"Where are you gonna go now, Big Bro?" he smirks, while I still laugh, 'cause mom hasn't stopped her assault on me by one bit.

"I can't go anywhere, can I? You're tackling me." I manage through nonstop laughter while another pair of little hands joins the tickling.

They tickle me for maybe five more minutes. At some point, Vick joined them, too. Now, they all leave me alone, lying in a heap on the couch, gasping for air.

Mom goes to the kitchen to cook dinner, and Vick goes with her, while Rory stays with me.

"I thought you had forgotten how to have fun." Rory states softly after a minute of silence.

"What makes you say that, Ror?" I ask, shocked by the depth of his statement. Rory is an eight year old boy, how could he have thought such a deep, matured thing?

He sighs deeply, then speaks, "You know, Gale, after the…accident, you changed so much. You become an all serious type person, and you started staying out after school for most of the days. You become the father, you know? That's the reason why I don't miss dad as much as I miss my elder brother. Because you're still here, right in front of my eyes, and still not here. It feels bad sometimes, that you don't play with me and Vick anymore, and that you don't smile as much as before. I want my big brother back. Please, Gale?"

At first, I feel too shocked to do or speak anything. The thing is, Rory is just a little boy, and nobody expects him to think so much. Children his age are expected to just play, and be free of such depressing thoughts. But Rory isn't. He shouldn't be thinking such things. I'm always there for him. I'll be there for him whenever he needs me.

"Come here," I say to my little brother, who looks on the verge of tears, while opening my arms for him. He all but runs to me and hugs me tightly, hiding his face in my shirt. I feel a single drop of moisture seep into my shirt. It's just a small tear, but it feels like I have been drenched with a whole, big bucket of cold water. My brother's not a cry-baby, he doesn't cry. He's type of a person who's always teasing people and smirking and lightening up tense moments. It's not every day that you see a person like him have an emotional breakdown.

"Hey," I pull away enough to look into his grey eyes that are just like mine. "Hey, Ror," I say calmly, in a desperate effort to cheer him up. "You're not one to cry, are you? You're the most cheery one of us all." I smile down at him, softly. "I have to get food, right? That's why I need to stay out, and hunt. But you know what?" Now my little brother looks up at me with large, innocent eyes.

"What?" He asks in a small voice.

"I promise to play with you and Vick every evening when I come back from the woods, and to read you guys stories at bedtime. You happy now?" A huge grin spreads across his face and he nods enthusiastically. "Good. You should be happy." I say as I scoop him into another hug.

"You're the best big brother I've ever had," He says and I laugh a little, remembering what my mother told me the morning after the accident, seeing how he mimics my words from when I was six.

"I'm the only big brother you have."

"You're still the best."

* * *

I wake up before the sun, as usual. Rory, who's sleeping next to me on the bed, tightens his grip around me in his sleep. I guess he realized I am going to get up. I have to go hunting.

Last night, I told my siblings a story about a brave girl from the woods, who has a beautiful smile, but doesn't realize it. Toward the end of the story, Rory started nodding off, so I let him sleep in my bed with me. Rory and I now share the room, since this one only has two single beds and him and Vick used to share one, while I got my own. And because both the younger boys are now growing up, and it was getting more and more uncomfortable for them to sleep in the same bed, mom announced that Vick would be sharing the room with her and Posy.

The little girl was already completely out cold before anyone knew it, so mom carried her to their room. But, well, nerdy little Vick was wide awake when I finished my story. That boy's got a sharp brain - I have to give him that. I mean, I have never _directly_ told him about Catnip. Indirectly, I definitely have, in last night's story. That boy still realized that the girl in the story is a real girl. Well, let's just say…he held an interrogation session, especially for me.

"This story was about a real girl, right, Gale?" He had asked.

"Why do you think?" I asked back.

"Because you said that she hunts, and uses a bow and arrow, and wears her hair in a braid, and she's brave, and she's very pretty, and when she smiles, it feels like the entire world has lit up. I remember dad telling you about a similar girl. And you also said that your story is original. This can't be a coincident, right?"

"You're a smart boy," I ruffled his hair, "Yes, she's a real girl."

"And you love her?" That question, I was a little wary about how to answer. It's complicated, after all. Thankfully, mom came to my recue at that very moment, taking my little brother away for bedtime.

I gently pry Rory's skinny arms from around me, careful to not wake him up. He doesn't need to wake up for another three hours. If he can, he should sleep till he needs to wake up for school. Once I'm up and on my feet, I pat his head once in an affectionate gesture.

I quietly walk out of the room to dress up for hunting. I slip on a fresh shirt and a pair of pants, grab my game bag and coat, and head out. Catnip must be waiting for me…

When I reach the meadow that is by the fence, a small flake of snow, comes and rests on my shoulder. Another one comes on my hand. That one is followed by many more, and soon enough, as I near the willow clump, a swift flurry of snow surfs the air. Catnip is not here. Not yet, maybe. I wait for her for another ten minutes or so, and she's still not here. I'm starting to get worried now. Catnip is _never_ late, and usually, she's the one who reaches before me. She wouldn't have gotten late unless…unless…there's a problem.

I panic. What could have happened? Why is she not here? Is she sick? She would have come even if she's sick, unless…she's seriously sick. Unless she can't even get up…

The rock. Oh, yes, we had decided to meet at the rock today! How could I forget? A wave of relief washes over me as I run to the rock. She's not sick. She's just waiting for me at the rock. Nothing to worry about.

Within minutes, I clear though the trees that block my view of the rock and my Catnip. My eyes expect to see her, sitting on the rock, facing the valley, her long braid slung over her shoulder, snow dust embedded in her thick hair, her game bag waiting to be removed from her side to make space for me. My eyes only _expect _to see all this, because when I look at the rock, I find nothingness.

Now the real panic sets in. Catnip's not even here. I'm sure something is deadly serious now. I've got to find out.

I run. I run as fast as I can manage. I run to her house. She'll probably wonder how I know it's her house when I show up uninvited at her doorstep, but maybe I can care less at this moment. The wood, the meadow, and the Seam all pass by in a blur. I just want to know what happened to Catnip.

I finally reach the edge of the Seam, and spot her house. When I finally climb the steps up her porch, I'm out of breath and panting hard. I knock softly, though, not wanting to scare anyone who's inside the house. A moment later, I hear a pair of feet shuffling through the house. It's not Catnip, I know that much. Being a huntress, her footsteps are too soft to be these. The door slowly creaks open, just enough for me to see a small head with blonde hair peeking out. It's probably her sister, Primrose. She slowly peeks out more, one blue eye out, staring at me, almost studying me.

"Who are you?" Her little scared voice asks.

"Is Catnip – I mean, Katniss – home?" My question comes out more composed that I feel. My heart is pounding in my chest, ready to fly out. And I am starting to feel sick with worry.

The door opens a little more, and now I can see Primrose's face clearly. "Yes, but who are you?" She asks a little more confidently.

"Prim," Someone croaks out from inside. Their voice is _very _hoarse and pained, as if it had been a huge struggle to get this one word out. Then I realize it. It's not just _someone's_ voice, it's _Catnip's._ It pains me to hear her like this. Catnip is never vulnerable. This confirms my doubt that something is very, very, very seriously wrong.

"Would you wait here for a minute?" Primrose asks. She flies in as soon as I nod, swinging the door wide open behind her.

Since houses in the Seam are pretty small and neither are the walls soundproof, and with the door wide open, I'm able to clearly hear the entire conversation these two sisters have.

"Oh, no, Kat, you need to lie back down," Primrose says. Catnip makes a sound of protest in response.

"Who?" She asks weakly. I get the idea that Katniss is unable to speak properly. With this discovery, fear etches into me. What is happening with her?

"I don't know, Kat. It's some boy who's looking for you."

"Name?"

"I'll ask," With this, the blonde-head runs back to the door.

"Katniss' asking your name. What's it?" She asks me in a hurry.

"Gale," I say. She turns back around to leave to her sister.

"Wait," I call to her. She turns to face me. "Is she okay?" I ask, concern dripping in my tone. I need to know now. I just _need_ to know what's wrong with my Catnip.

"No," Primrose frowns. "She's got a really bad flu." My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. How bad is her flu? I guess Primrose just read my thoughts, because she continues. "Like, really bad. But she still _thinks_ she's fine when she's not."

"Can I see her?" I ask, worried to death for my Catnip.

Primrose gets this scared glint in her eyes, which I don't understand, really. I just want to see Catnip.

"Who are you, but?" She asks in a small voice.

"Hadn't I _just _told you my name?" I snap, getting annoyed. Why wouldn't she just let me see Catnip?

"You did," Primrose stares at the floor, a terrified expression overtaking her features. "But, who are you to her?" Oh, so she meant it _that_ way. I understand this now. She's a terrified eight year old girl with a sick elder sister, whose mother is completely unresponsive – I got that information from Catnip – and I'm a complete stranger to her, asking to see her sick sister, plus, I already look like a man at fourteen. How would this little girl know if it's safe to let me in?

But, what am I to Catnip? I can't say lover, and I don't know if we're friends.

"We're hunting partners," Yeah, that's a safe enough answer.

"So _you're _her partner," She says to herself. "Come in," she walks inside and I follow her to a door that has been clicked shut.

"Gale, remember to not talk about anything that stresses her, okay?" I nod.

She opens the door. Inside, there are two single beds, pushed up against opposite walls. There's a window above one of the beds, through which I can see the storm picking up. This room is identical to the one I share with Rory, just a little smaller. On the bed that has the window, I see a huge bundle of blankets and then at the head, a long, black braid flowing down the bed. There's my Catnip. My girl with the long black braid down her back.

"Prim?" Catnip says weakly, and I can't help but wonder how miserable she sounds. She must be really sick. Primrose – Prim, for short, I guess – rushes to her side in an instant. She grips her hand tightly.

"Yes, Kat?" Prim says in a calm tone. "What happened?"

"I-" Her voice cracks, "Need to…hunt,"

"No!" Prim says sternly. "You can be the huntress later. Let me be the doctor for now." Catnip sighs.

"Who? At the door?"

"Oh, Katniss," Prim smiles a little, "There's someone who wants to see you." Then she turns to me, "Come,"

I slowly walk towards the bed. Now, partly not wanting to see my Catnip in this condition. "Come," She says again.

I finally look at Catnip. She looks pale and she's shivering violently. All I feel right now is dread. I kneel down beside her.

"Hey, Catnip," I say, trying hard to keep my voice steady.

"Gale?"

"Yes, Catnip, it's me. How are you feeling?" I ask, feeling her forehead. I wouldn't exaggerate if I say that she's so hot, you can cook food on it.

"I'm fine,"

"You're anything but _fine_, Catnip. I mean, look at you…" I stroke her cheek. I don't know if she wants to push my hand away, but I think just maybe, she leans a just a bit into my touch.

"Let's go hunting - " she says as she falls into a violent round of coughing. I try rubbing her back – a failed attempt to soothe her.

"Catnip, you're not going anywhere. You need rest." I plead with her. In all these months, I've known her enough that when she's got something on her mind, there's no stopping her, and well, yes, her extremely fierce dedication towards her family.

"Katniss," Prim says from behind me. She has a thermometer in her hand and was shaking it to get the mercury down the kink. Then she trots over to the bed. "Open your mouth," Catnip obliges and Prim puts the thermometer in her mouth. Prim sits down on the edge of the bed and clutches her sister's hand.

"You'll be fine, Kat," she whispers in her ear. Catnip makes a sound through her closed mouth, because she's got a thermometer stuck in it, but I know she just wants to scream (if she can), _I'm fine already._

Prim takes the thermometer out of her mouth, and silently takes a look at it. She gasps loudly and almost drops that glass thing to the floor.

"What happened, Prim?" I ask, as my fear and worry deepen.

"H-her temperature…" Her voice cracks, and her eyes water, "It's constantly rising…"

"Prim, Gale?" Catnip calls us, and yep, she has both of ours undivided attention. "Help me up. I've got to go hunting."

"Catnip, enough-" I begin but am cut off by Prim who reaches up and starts whispering in my ear.

"Let me handle this. I know how to," Then she moves away and pats the back of Catnip's hand, smiling sweetly.

"Kat, you can go hunting," She says sweetly and Catnip gives a small, victorious smile. Her smile is still beautiful and just as radiant as yesterday, even though she's really pale right now. However much beautiful, I can't find myself looking at her smile, because I'm gaping at Prim. _What_ did she just say? Will she _seriously_ just let Catnip go hunting in this condition? Well, I'll stand my ground. She's _not_ getting out of bed anytime today. I wouldn't let her. "But, Kat, you'll have to take some tea first, okay?"

Would this said cup of tea give her enough strength to just get up and hunt, when she isn't even able to speak properly? Is it some miracle tea from the Capitol or something?

"Gale, would you please help me with something?" Prim asks me.

"Of course," I get up from beside Catnip's bed and follow her out the door and into the kitchen. She immediately gets to boiling some water for tea.

"Katniss's not going hunting," I state sternly, once her water is done.

"I know. I'm not letting her go either." She replies coolly. This angers me, somehow.

"Didn't you just say that to her?" I bark, though it barely affects her composure.

"Just wait. You'll see," Then she's adding some herbs to the water I have no idea about. A few minutes later, she turns to me again. She points to a particular cabinet and says, "The top shelf's got a bottle, it's bigger than the others, so you'll be able to identify it. Will you fetch it for me?" I nod and go over to the cabinet and get whatever bottle she's asking for. She takes it from me and mixes two spoonfuls of the bright pink liquid into Catnip's tea. This liquid looks familiar, like I've seen it before, even had it once or twice, though I can't exactly place what it is.

"What's that?" I ask suspiciously. I don't know why I'm being suspicious, though. It's not like Catnip's own sister - who's a trainee apothecary – would give anything wrong to her.

A sly smile creeps onto Prim's face. What is she up to? Her smile grows wider at my confused expression. "Sleep syrup."

"What?" I hear myself ask. "You gonna drug your own sister?"

"There's no other way she'll rest. But don't worry, I've seen mom do this to her and dad each time they were unwell. 'Cause they _never_ rest on their own."

"Okay," Prim exits the kitchen, the cup of drugged tea in her hands.

"C'mon," She calls after her, "Let's get Katniss some _tea._" I follow her out and into the room.

When I get in, the first thing I notice is that Catnip's shivering has worsened. Shit, her fever must be rising even more. I kneel down beside her, as before, and cup her face. Her skin is even hotter than before.

"Gale, will you please help her up and hold her while I get the tea into her?" Prim asks me, and I nod in response. I get up and sit on the bed beside her, putting one arm under her shoulders and other on her arm, and slightly pull her up. I tuck the blankets under her chin and she smiles warmly at me. This time, her smile is enough to send me back to that dazed state I was in last night.

"Thanks…" Catnip's voice pulls me back to reality.

"Alright, Kat," Prim climbs onto the bed and sits on her knees with her legs on either sides of Catnip. "Now, you have to drink this quickly, in one go. And no protests, okay?" Catnip nods and Prim brings the cup of _drugged_ tea up to her lips. "Open your mouth, Kat," Catnip obliges, quickly gulping down the contents of the cup.

I don't think she understood that the tea contained sleep syrup, but I don't understand how. I mean, it's usually quite simple to figure out if something contains sleep syrup, because it's really sweet, and you can't really afford sugar unless you're from a _rich_ family from town.

"Good, Kat, now take a few deep breaths," Prim instructs, "And then, in a few minutes, you can go hunting." Catnip takes a few deep breaths, and in a minute, the syrup starts to kick in. Her eyelids start drooping immediately, and the look on her face screams betrayal. Yes, she has been betrayed by her sister.

"Prim, why?" Her voice is thick and weak. I can feel her growing limper in my arms with each passing second.

"Oh, Katniss!" Prim flings her arms around her sister's neck, "I'm so sorry, Kat, but this is for your own good! You need rest."

For the first time, I consider how Prim must be feeling right now, betraying her sister's trust. I would be loathing myself, had I been in her situation.

"But…" Catnip starts, but I cut her off with a gentle whisper.

"Shh, Catnip," I rest her head on my shoulder, and she doesn't protest. "She's right. You need to rest right now. I'll do the hunting, don't worry."

"But Gale…"

"But nothing, Catnip," I whisper soothingly in her ear, and instantly feel her relax beside me. "Don't worry, just rest, okay?" Her head moves from my shoulder to my chest. I press her tighter against me.

"Gale?" I look down at her, and with one glance, I knows she's fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Yes, Catnip?" I reply softly.

"Don't leave…"

"Never,"

* * *

_I don't leave my Catnip alone for the rest of the morning. She looks so peaceful sleeping in my arms. I can't leave if I want to, anyway. The light storm has turned into a full blown blizzard, so I sit beside my Catnip's sleeping form, caressing her hair softly. I had to miss morning hunt today, but I don't mind if my Catnip needs me. _

_When finally the blizzard comes to a stop after a few hours, I need to leave for school. Catnip can't go because she's sick, so she wouldn't get into trouble. But I can't. I'll have to leave in a few minutes. The Capitol punishes you if you miss school for no reason. _

_When I get up to leave, I place a soft kiss on her forehead, and I think I catch her lips curl up in a faintest bit of smile in her sleep…_


	7. Care - Part I

**A/N: Hey readers! I'm back with another chapter! And I'm really sorry for being late! Guys, I really appreciate all the review I'm getting. They really encourage me to write more! I'm literally in love with them.**

**Another thing – if any of you have **_**any**_**, and I mean **_**any,**_** queries related to my story, plot or characters, please contact me personally, or drop a review regarding your question, and I'll discuss it personally as well as in my next post.**

**Disclaimer: If **_**The Hunger Games**_** was mine, then Annie wouldn't have been a widow.**

Care – Part I

The walk from Catnip's home to mine is excruciating. I try to focus on the street ahead me, but every other second, my mind seems to flip to Catnip. Her shivering body. Her burning forehead. Her unclear words. Her reaction to the drugged tea. Her protests. Her head lying on my chest. Her limp, powerless, sleeping form in my arms. Her request for me to not leave. The gentle kiss I pressed onto her forehead when I finally had to go…

I try to not worry myself too much. She's got a family of healers. Her mother and her sister. They're going to take care of her. But then again, her mother, the _actual, experienced_ healer has shut down for a while. She's having a 'bad day' as her sister states it. And my Catnip is now in the care of an eight year old girl, who has to drug her to get her to stay in bed. I can't believe this. I've never felt this useless before. I have _zero_ knowledge about medical stuff and I can't do anything while the girl of my dreams might just be dying… No, no, no, no, no. I push the thought out of my mind. Catnip is _not_ going to die. She'll be just fine in a few days. _She'll be fine…she wouldn't die…_

_CRASH!_

I just freaking banged into my own home's door! I had been so lost in thought; I didn't even realize when I climbed up my porch steps. My mom rushes out of the door, and to where I've fallen to the ground.

"Gale!" she calls, crouching down beside me, "You okay, honey?" I nod. I'm the one who's fine, while my girl is not. She's terribly sick.

"What happened?" Mom asks.

"Nothing much. Just tried to walk in without opening the door, I guess." I scoff, and get up to go into the house.

"Gale?" Mom calls.

"Yep?"

"Where were you during the blizzard, son?" She follows me inside, picking up my empty game bag on the way. "Surely, you weren't in the woods, or were you?"

"I was at Catnip's." I answer honestly, 'cause you can never hide anything from my mom, and trying to do so will only waste time and energy.

"What were you doing at her place?" Mom asks in a suspicious tone. I don't know why, but all of this just makes me angry. I guess it's just the pent up frustration from all of the events of this morning, and yes, worry.

"Gale," My mother comes over to me rests her hand on my arm, speaking in a soft, warm tone. "Is something wrong?" I just nod. I know I can't hide anything, and talking to her always calms me down.

"She's sick," I say, trying to fight off the lump forming in my throat.

Mom comes over to me wraps her arms around me, rubbing my back soothingly. "Oh, honey…she'll be fine."

"Mom, she's terribly sick. Like, really sick. She's not even able to speak properly and…and wouldn't rest. She wanted to go hunting…" I blurt everything out. It feels good to get it out, to share my problems with someone, so I talk on. "Then, her sister had to mix sleep syrup in her tea to get her to rest. And…and her fever was so high, her skin was almost as hot as the irons you use. I'm scared. Is she gonna die, mom?" I bury my face in her hair. She doesn't respond, though. "Mom?"

She probably understands that I'm waiting for her to answer my question, because she instantly squeezes me tighter, and says, "No, hon. She'll be just fine. She's not going to die. Don't worry, okay?"

"I can't lose her…momma…" I hug her tighter, and I feel she returns the gesture. It's been years since I called her momma. The last time, maybe I was five, I don't remember. Sure enough, mom looks touched by this.

"It's hard for you, I know. But don't you worry," I feel her smile weakly against me, "I _know_ that she'll be in perfect health very soon."

"Thanks, mom," I pull away a little, so that I can look at her, giving her a small, sad smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Thank you so much…"

"It's okay, honey," mom kisses my cheek, "Now, don't worry and get ready for school. You've got to attend it, right?" I nod and go off to my room to change into my school clothes, which means a change into a shirt that's just slightly less worn out.

* * *

Despite mom's advice to not worry, I can't help it. I end up thinking about Catnip all day. She was _so_ sick this morning, anybody would be worried. I don't listen to one word the teachers lecture; I just sit in class and wallow in my worries. Not that I listen to anything, anyway…

I'm not in much of a mood to talk today. During the lunch break, I go to sit on my usual table that I share with Thom. I usually prefer sitting with him, for obvious reasons. He's my only _real_ friend, anyway, besides Catnip maybe. In the last few months, I've come to notice that these two people don't judge me, and they don't stick around me for my looks or that unwanted popularity I have. They talk to me because of who I really am.

It looks like Thom is late today. He must either be in trouble – which he usually is – or some teacher must be holding him back. I wait for him for a few minutes, and he's still not here. Someone else shows up, though.

"Hi, Gale, how are you?" she says from behind me. I don't even turn to look at her. I would seriously give anything to get her killed. She's _so_ annoying.

"Go away, Williams," I bark. I seriously don't need to talk to the girl whom I broke up with a few months ago, while she's still hitting on me, when the girl I actually like might just be dying.

"I thought you would want to talk to me!" She says, trying to fake hurt.

"I don't, you know?" I look at her now, almost glaring. "Now, go away, Stacey."

Just then a group of excited girls come from behind her. They all sit on my table, and I to put my fisted hands in my pockets to prevent punching them. All these crazy girls greet me with excited greetings of "Hello, Gale!" Now I really want to punch them. Why can't they just leave me alone when I don't want to talk to them? They keep making attempts at small talk with me, whom I completely ignore, and yeah, these girls are annoying me to no extent. _Where's Thom Bloody Avery? He joins me and we can leave, then._ One girl comes to sit _right _beside me, and much to my annoyance, again, starts talking.

"Hi, handsome," She says cheerfully. I don't reply. "Hello?!" she waves her hand in front of my face.

"What do you want?" I snap. Then I feel someone grabbing my arm, and pulling me away from this herd of mad girls. I look up to see my saviour is Thom.

"Thanks for saving me from those stupid girls, bro. They were eating my brain off." I say with a small, amused smile.

"I see that," He smirks at me. "You almost looked ready to kill that girl off."

"I wanted to. These girls are annoying. Like, _super-duper_ annoying." I mimic my younger brother's tone, and we both laugh. I'm glad Thom made me laugh. I need a break from all the worrying. It's eating me up now, I guess.

We turn the corner and Thom guides me to the playground, since both of us don't have anything to eat today. It happens a lot of times; it's not a very uncommon occurrence in District 12. In fact, there are more people who don't have food that the ones who have.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Thom asks as soon as we are in a somewhat isolated spot. Should I tell him? I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't. I can't burden _everybody_ with my own problem.

"It's nothing." I say, trying to act nonchalant.

"It's not 'nothing.' Seriously, Gale, something has happened. What's it?" He says firmly, gripping my shoulders. "You can tell me." Maybe I should tell him, to keep my sanity in check.

"It's Katniss. She's really sick." I tell him sorrowfully. He knows enough about Catnip to know that I like her and I deeply care about her. He knows that her being sick isn't going to keep me very calm. "Her sister says she's got flu."

"Oh," Then he smiles a little, "But you don't have to worry. She's gonna be perfectly fine."

"I hope so," I give him a sad smile.

We talk about nonsense for a bit, and it's good to get my mind off of all the tension. After the break is over, the day passes in a blur. I still don't listen to the lessons and I still worry. After school, I decide to go to Catnip's place to check on her. I'll make the visit brief and then go hunting. After dropping my brothers home, I go over to the Everdeens' and knock on their door. As expected, little Prim opens it.

"Hello," She greets sweetly.

"Hi," I smile a little, then ask the question that's been eating me up since I left this place this morning. "How's she?" I don't need to tell her who 'she' is, both of us know who I'm talking about.

"Her fever hasn't gone down," She frowns, "Come in, I'll tell you then." I oblige, and when I enter Catnip's room, I see she's still sleeping, and she's still shivering. _Oh, no. this can't be good. _

"I think she'll be down with this flu for a while, since her fever hasn't broken yet. Three to four days, maybe…" Prim says from behind me. I turn around to face her. She looks about ready to cry.

I completely understand her situation. Her elder sister – probably her hero – is dying, or at least very weak. I bet she's never seen Catnip like this before.

"…I'm just so worried for her." Prim says.

"I am, too. But you and I both know she'll be good soon. Three to four days, right?" It's funny how I have been worrying myself and had to be comforted be two people, and here I am now, comforting another person from the same thoughts that are tormenting me.

I walk over to Catnip's bed, and feel her forehead. It's still as hot as this morning. I softly smooth her hair, which are now out of her braid, and then rub the back of her hand.

"Hey, Catnip," I whisper softly in her ear, smiling a little. "Get well soon, okay?"

I get up from beside her, and turn to Prim. "I've got to go hunting, Prim. I'll be back with some food later." I tell her. Her face gains a small frown at the food offer, I guess. She'd think it's charity. "It's not charity, Prim. Catnip and I are partners, remember?" I say before she can talk about it herself. She gives a small smile, and I'm convinced she's not as stubborn as her elder sister.

I go back over to Catnip, and kneel down beside her. "I'll be back soon, Catnip." I whisper in her ear and then get up to leave. After all, someone's got to keep the food supply in check.

* * *

The woods don't give me that comforting feeling they usually do. They feel lonely, today. This vast forest feels empty without Catnip having my back. And sure, it's not a good feeling.

I have my bow gripped in my hand, an arrow already notched. My luck is good today. For a winter day, the snares did well. Two rabbits and four squirrels. I still decide to try and shoot something. Maybe if I get some more, I'll be able to trade something more than two squirrels. Since the rabbits are bigger than the squirrels, and my family is bigger, those two would go to my place, and two squirrels, I'll drop off at Catnip's.

I hear a light rustle of leaves a little bit to my left, which is too unnatural to be the light breeze that is blowing. In the past months of hunting, I have come to detect unnatural sounds in the woods; like this one up in the tree. I know it's an unlucky squirrel, waiting to drop dead with my arrow…

_Stop right there! You're not anywhere near as good as your Catnip with this damn bow!_

Yeah, if I said that 'drop dead with my arrow' out loud, I'll really sound stupid. I've tried shooting some animals before, but I either completely miss them, or hit them in the body, when it should have been the head, so that the least amount of meat is wasted. Catnip's shot is always in the animal's eye. Always a clean kill.

I turn to face the rustling, and yeah, it's a squirrel. I gain my stance, aim, take a deep breath, and release - just the steps Catnip taught me. The arrow cuts through the air, and embeds itself in the squirrel's neck. It falls to the forest floor with a soft thud, which is further muffled by the snow that covers the ground.

Wait, neck? Did I just hit this squirrel in the _neck?_ It's an achievement! It's sure gonna cheer Catnip up a lot.

I think this much is enough for today; both of our families will have food till tomorrow morning, and I'll be hunting again before school, after all. It's getting late, too. It's always better to leave these woods before dark.

I walk to the fence, seriously missing Catnip's company by my side. She's at home, and she's sick with a terrible flu. I go to town to trade the three extra squirrels, and stop at the bakery. I walk in to find that – luckily – the counter is occupied by sweet Mr. Mellark, and not his witch of a wife.

"Hello," I greet, though I'm still not in a lot of mood to talk right now.

"Hey, son," He greets back. "Do you have squirrels today?" I nod and pull out the three squirrels, handing them to the baker. He examines them and eyes the one that I shot. "You know how to shoot?" He asks me. I nod again. Then, an idea hits me.

"Mr. Mellark?" I say, getting the baker's attention. "Can you pay for this in coins instead of bread?" He looks confused at that, as I usually insist on taking my payment in bread. "I need money, actually." I enlighten him. Since she's sick, Catnip might need a medicine, and the apothecary would only accept coins, I guess.

"Oh," is all he says as he shoves the squirrels into some drawer behind the counter and takes out some coins from another one. "What is up with the money thing, son?" he asks me. Should I tell him exactly why I need money? No, I shouldn't.

"Someone I care about might need it." I settle on half truth. The baker sighs, and hands me the coins. I count ten. _That's too much_. I'm not a charity case. I wouldn't accept this much money.

"This money is too much, I wouldn't take it." I state firmly.

"It's not," The baker says, well…sweetly. I don't think he ever talks in any other way. "Do you know how much one loaf of bread costs?" I shake my head. "Thought so. Each loaf that I usually pay you with costs five coins, and for three squirrels, I would have given you two loaves, which is your standard price. Does that make sense, now?" he asks. Okay, this may be a right logic, but…

"It's not charity, son, believe me." The baker assures me. "Do you want confirmation?"

I contemplate my options, thinking if _should _confirm the price of the bread. The baker doesn't wait for my answer, though.

"Peeta!" He calls. Oh, Peeta Mellark. That crazy guy who always keeps staring at my Catnip. Every time I look at him, I get the vibe of him being a creepy stalker. Oh, yeah, by the way he's staring at my Catnip almost all the time, he might as well be one. At this point, he's the very last person I would want to talk to.

"Yes, dad?" Peeta comes out from behind the kitchen door.

"What is the price of one regular loaf, Peeta?" The baker asks his son. Peeta holds up five fingers.

"Five coins," He says almost immediately with a confused expression. Sure he is confused. The baker asking someone the price of bread would confuse anyone. '

The baker looks at me, then. "See?" I give one curt nod, and exit the bakery with ten coins.

* * *

I walk over to Catnip's house. I had been here before I went to the wood, but I _really_ need to check on her. I just need to, or I'll worry myself sick. I knock on the door, and moments later, Prim opens the door.

"Hi," She greets sadly.

"Hi. How's she?" I ask directly, not waiting for any formalities.

"Same as before. And still sleeping. Come in," She lets me in and I rush to Catnip's room.

Prim's words are true. She still shivering. I kneel down beside her bed, and feel her forehead. It's at least as hot as it was in the morning, if not more. I take her limp hand in mine and press it to my lips.

"Hey, Catnip," I whisper in her ear. She doesn't reply, though. I don't even expect her to, because she's still sleeping off Prim's sleep syrup.

"How much syrup did you feed her, Prim?" I ask the blonde girl.

"Two spoons. She'll be up soon, now." She replies back, which relieves me. _She'll be up soon…_

"I'll stay till then." I declare and stroke Catnip's hair. "I still can't believe we managed to trick her. She's a smart one, you know?" I wonder out loud.

"When someone is this sick, Gale," Prim tells me, "They're not exactly thinking straight." I shrug.

"I thought such a thing was not possible with Catnip," I say more to myself.

Prim come from behind me and climbs onto her sister's bed. She sits beside Catnip and kisses her cheek.

"I love you, Kat. Please be okay." Prim pleads with her sleeping elder sister. "Please, please, please, please, please…" Then her eyes fill up with tears. "Please, Kat?"

It's been several minutes since Prim pleaded with Catnip, and now she's calmed down a bit. She's just sitting beside Catnip and sniffling occasionally. I continue stroking her hair, when she lets out a groan. Prim and I both look up at her face, suddenly fully attentive. She wears a grimace over her face, which was peaceful just moments ago.

"Katniss!" Prim exclaims and beams at her sister. Catnip groans again. "Katniss?"

Her eyes slowly flutter open, and she looks at Prim through a haze of sleep syrup.

"Little duck?" She croaks out, her voice hoarse from not being used.

"Katniss!" Prim throws her arms around her sister and hugs her tightly. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

She looks around, and after a moment, her hazy grey eyes settle on me. "Gale?"

"Yes, Catnip?" I whisper.

"What happened?" she asks weakly.

What should I tell her? That her sister drugged her and betrayed her? Nah, I'm not getting Prim into trouble. She's too adorable for that.

"You fell asleep, Catnip," I settle on half truth.

"How?" Now there comes the sticky part. I don't have the heart to tell her that Prim gave her sleep syrup. I look up at Prim, who's staring at her sister with a look of fear in her eyes.

"Kat?" Prim speaks timidly, "You wouldn't get mad, would you?"

Catnip looks at her suspiciously, then turns her eyes. "Tell me, Gale, what happened?" She has a pleading look on her face, and it pains me immensely.

"Prim?" I ask for her approval. She nods slightly, telling me to go ahead and tell Catnip everything.

Just then, Catnip starts coughing violently. Prim and I, both panic. I try rubbing her back and help her sit up while Prim runs into the kitchen for god knows what. Her coughs subside after a minute or two, but it has still left me terrorised. What is happening with my Catnip?

Prim comes into the room with a thermometer in hand and instructs Catnip to open her mouth, which she does. Prim places the thermometer in her mouth and closes it. After a few minutes, she pulls it out and takes the reading. A horrified expression instantly takes over her features.

"What is it, Prim?" I ask worriedly.

"Her fever…" Her voice cracks, "Is dangerously high now. Oh! I don't know what to do!" She starts sobbing into her hands. Catnip, who, which such a high fever, is almost halfway to unconsciousness, is somehow, suddenly fully attentive.

"Little Duck, listen," Catnip says weakly, "I'm perfectly fine, Prim. Don't cry, please?" Prim hugs her sister and cries some more, all the while Catnip keeps whispering soothing words into her ear.

"Sorry," Prim says at last. "I'll get you some herb tea." She scurries off to the kitchen.

As soon as Prim exits the room, Catnip's head falls back and hits the headboard, and her body goes limp. All the attentiveness that came with Prim's sobs seems to have faded away with them. I wrap my arms around her and hold her. I don't know how she feels about our physical closeness, but I don't think she'll even remember any of this. She's so inattentive right now. Even if she's able to process anything that's happening, she's not pushing me away. I don't mind holding her all night, anyway.

"Hey," She says softly. I look into her hazy grey eyes and smile softly. "Let's go hunting…" This time, she smiles. The look on her face makes me want to agree immediately, but I know better than that.

"Catnip, you don't need to worry about it. I already went hunting." I tell her just as softly. She frowns.

"I'm not taking charity." She states.

"It's not charity, Catnip. We're partners, remember?" She nods. "Exactly. Partners look out for each other. I'll look out for you and you would look out for me. Okay?" She nods again. "Now rest."

"Sometimes, hunting is more than food." She says, smiling softly. "It's my sanity. I'll go insane in this bed if you keep me here any longer."

"You wouldn't, Catnip," I softly stroke her hair. "I promise."

"I feel safe with you…" She says. She feels safe with me? That's cute. I love it. I mean, you like someone and they tell you that they feel safe with you, that's an amazing feeling. Right now, I just feel joyful and proud. I'm happy I could make her feel safe.

"You do?" I still ask, though she just said it. She nods. "Thanks," I smile.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, I speak again. "You know, Catnip? I shot a squirrel today. I _shot_ a squirrel. That too, in the _neck._ The _neck!_"

"Neck? Seriously?" She beams at me. Gosh, even though she's so sick, her smile is as radiant as ever. "I'm a good teacher,"

"Sure you are." I confirm. There's no doubt about it. She's actually an amazing teacher.

Just then, Prim trots back to the room, a cup of tea in her hands. Wait, does this contain sleep syrup too? She smiles at her sister and climbs onto the bed.

"Katniss, drink this, please? It will reduce your fever." Prim says. She brings the cup up to Catnip's mouth and she takes a sip.

"This is so sweet," Catnip exclaims. Now this confirms my doubts. This tea contains syrup.

"Katniss, drink," Prim insists, though I really can't understand her motive this time. It's not like Catnip was downright refusing to rest now. "Please, Kat? For me?"

I don't know how this changes Catnip's suspicions about tea, but she drinks it quickly.

"Anything for you, Little Duck." She smiles as her eyelids start drooping. She lightly strokes Prim's cheek. "But you should tell be when you're going to drug me." Prim and I both chuckle quietly.

"Night, Little Duck." She weakly says and then turns to me. "Night, Idiot."

"Good night, Catnip," I whisper, and then her eyes close. She rests her head on me and mumbles something unintelligible before her light snores fill the room.

I place a gentle kiss on her forehead and lay her down. Once again, I find myself staring at her face which looks peaceful while she sleeps. Then, I look at Prim, who has a soft smile on her lips. Um, she's eight, right? How is going to cook the squirrels I got?

"Do you know how to cook, Prim?" I ask her. She nods.

"You know, Katniss is a horrible cook," She replies. Yeah, I can very well imagine that. Catnip standing over the stove, wearing a dress, ladling stew in a pot. And I'm sitting at the kitchen table, along with my family and hers, waiting for the food to be served. Then she comes with seven bowls settled on a tray and sits beside me. I take a sip from my bowl and then, try to hide my disgusted expression for Catnip's sake. I look up to see rest of them doing the same, well…maybe except Rory, who makes no effort in hiding his disgust for the horrible tasting stew, with mom giving him a stern look.

I compare that to how Catnip looks like in the woods, with her bow and arrow in hand, wearing a shirt and pants, with her father's old hunting jacket, which is too large for her. Jerking an arrow out of an animal's eye. Swinging her braid over her shoulder in victory (a gesture I came to understand a few weeks after I met her). Mercilessly slitting the throat of an animal that is caught in my snare. I guess I just made my choice. I prefer the huntress _much_ more than the girly Catnip.

"Why do you look so amused?" Prim's voice pulls the breaks to my train of thoughts.

"Nothing," I shrug.

"Mom tried to teach her how to cook when she was eight, and well, nobody could swallow one bite of whatever she made, so mom gave all of her cooking lessons to me." I chuckle.

I walk out of the room and to the main door, near where I dropped my game bag. I take out the two squirrels from my bag and go back to give them to Prim.

"You'll be able to cook these, then?" I ask her, showing the squirrels. She nods enthusiastically. "Alright. They're already skinned, so that's good." She nods again.

I take one last glance at Catnip and softly stroke her hair once before exiting the room. I go to the kitchen and place the dead animals on the kitchen table. Prim comes in a moment later. There's just one question I have to ask her before I go.

"Why did you give her sleep syrup now? She wasn't refusing to rest. And how much did you give her this time?" I blurt out, not wanting to hold it in anymore.

Prim looks a bit guilty, but eventually, meets my eyes. "In the morning, it was so that she rests, but now, it's different. Her fever has reached 106 degree Fahrenheit. Her bones must be aching like mad right now, though she's trying hard not to show us. But I know she's in pain because it's not exactly possible for your bones to not hurt when you have a fever that high. She wouldn't have been able to bear it through the night, so it was necessary now. Plus, I didn't give much. It was just half a spoon. She'll be up by tomorrow morning."

I don't know what to say. I don't understand half of this medical stuff. But then again, I at least understand that my Catnip is in pain and that she'll be up by tomorrow morning. I'll come to check on her before the morning hunt, then.

"I'll be going now, Prim," I tell her and leave. I'll sure come back tomorrow.

* * *

I walk back to the fence, longing for Catnip's company. She's at home, down with a deadly flu, with a fever as high as a Capitol building. I hadn't realised until now how accustomed I have gotten to her small figure walking beside me, and when she's not here, I feel like a half a part of me is missing.

Today just went by in a blur. I woke up and went to check on Catnip, where she was sleeping. Prim said that the sleep syrup was about to wear off, but I had to go hunting. Food is important too. Hunting didn't feel the same without Catnip beside me, so I just checked and reset my snare line, coming up with four rabbits. _Not bad_. I didn't hear one word of what those stupid teachers tried to feed me about stupid coal. Sometimes, I feel like in this district, there is _nothing_ other than coal. Just coal, coal and coal. I still have four year of schooling left, and after that a life working like a slave for the Capitol's coal mines, and I'm already fed up of coal.

The mines are the place where my father died a horrible death. They didn't even try to retrieve his body. Those dark, dingy horribly mines are the final resting place of my father, who, just like me, hated them.

I went to check on Catnip after school, and found her laying on the bed, shivering, with at least five blankets on top of her. But she was awake. Awake, at least. I talked to her for a minute and, as much as I hated to, left and to go on the afternoon hunt.

And now here I am, walking through the meadow, wanting to get to my Catnip as fast as I can. Soon enough, I reach the house where I'm headed.

Prim opens the door a second after I knock with a her usual smile, though I can tell that it doesn't quite reach her eyes like it usually does.

"How's she?" I ask directly, skipping the greetings. Prim also knows how worried I am about Catnip, so it doesn't matter much, I guess.

"See for yourself," She guides me in, though it's not really required anymore. Most houses in the Seam have the same layout, and I've been to hers quite a few times. I enter Catnip's room to find her sitting up, covered up in blankets and a bowl of soup on the nightstand. As soon as she sees me, a small smile creeps up on her face, which I gladly return.

"Hi," She says in her now usual weak tone, which actually sends a painful shiver down my spine. I'm not used to seeing her weak, be it physically or mentally. After my mom, she's the strongest person I know.

"Hello, Catnip," I smile, "Were you eating?" I point to the bowl resting on the nightstand. I go over and sit beside her.

"More like being fed," She replies hoarsely, attempting to chuckle.

"Huh?" Her reply confuses me. I'm just being curious about it; I don't think it's much of a thing to worry about when she's trying to laugh about it.

"Her hands are shaking, so I was feeding her." Prim says from behind me. I don't know where my hunter's senses go when I'm in this room with Catnip, but I tend to forget that Prim is usually here too.

"My hands are not shaking. I just let you feed me because you wanted to." Catnip counters, holding a hand up in front of my face. "See, Idiot? Are they shaking?"

Catnip's hands are not _shaking_, they're _trembling,_ actually. She gives me a look that says, _lie._ If she wants me to lie, then there must be some reason behind it. So I do.

"Absolutely not, Catnip, they're not shaking at all." I say with a smirk, which Catnip mirrors. "Now, can I feed you, if I want to?"

"Okay,"

I take the bowl in my hands, lifting the spoon up to her lips and she slurps loudly. Prim excuses herself saying she needs to use the bathroom, and as soon as she exits, I can visibly see Catnip's demeanour fall. Her smile is replaced by a grimace and her body slumps against me. I instantly know that she's not feeling as well as she's showing.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask her, glancing down at her cracked form, while carefully placing the now empty bowl of soup on the floor.

"What?"

"Why are you trying to hide your pain?" I ask and immediately feel her tense beside me.

"It's…complicated." She stutters.

"Catnip, I'm a trapper. Complicated is my forte. Tell me, please." I smile down at her and see her grinning into distance.

"It's Prim. Gale, I know as well as you do that I might die from this-"

"You're not dying, Catnip!" I growl. How can she give up on life like that, when she loves her sister so much? Would she leave Prim alone? Would she leave _me_ alone? No, she can't. I wouldn't let her.

"I hope not, Gale, but there's still a chance. You know, it's a bitter truth, and truth is always painful. I'm hiding my pain from her because I know she'll hurt when she sees me in pain. I don't want her to hurt. She's too young." She looks at me with heavy eyes and a tired smile. "You know, people say that when you're as sick as I am, you can't think properly, or you can't process stuff easily, or pay attention to anything, but I'm still attentive enough to remember that I have to take care of Prim."

"She's not here right now. You can relax." I tell her. Seriously, I admire her now. Maybe I haven't seen anyone who cares about their siblings so much. Up until now, I used to think that Thom and Louisa are the best pair of siblings I've seen. No, this girl has crossed all borders to take care of her younger sister.

"Why are _you_ doing this? Taking care of me, I mean." She asks me a minute later.

Why am I? Why am I taking care of her? I can't tell her that I like her, that I can't live without her, even if it's the truth. What do I tell her?

"Good hunting partners are hard to find." I reply after a few moments of silence. "Plus, I care about you." That last part exits my mouth without my permission. I don't know why I said that. But the more important thing is – how will she react, now?

"Good hunting partners are hard to find," She lets the statement roll on her tongue. "True." We're consumed by silence once more, though it's not uncomfortable.

"I wonder what's taking her so long." I know she's talking about Prim, who went to the bathroom more than five minutes ago, and hasn't come back yet.

"I don't know," I tell her in a whisper.

"Tell me when she comes, okay?" She closes her eyes and settles her head against my shoulder. It isn't long until she's fast asleep.

Prim comes back a few minutes later, mumbling something about being late because she had to take a shower, when she sees Catnip sleeping. One look at her innocent, pure face and I know I'll be going along with Catnip's plan of hiding her pain.

"She fell asleep," I tell her. She smiles and nods, while skipping out again. She comes back with a thermometer in hand.

Prim frowns when she's done checking Catnip's temperature. "Higher than yesterday," is all she has to say. I know catnip's fever is even higher now, and it's definitely not good.

We sit in silence for a few minutes before I ask the question that has been nagging me at the back of my mind.

"The day before yesterday, when I met Katniss in the woods, she looked perfectly fine, and then the next morning, how did she become so sick?" I ask Prim. She looks up at me, and her bright blue eyes look darker than they are with worry.

"She came home very late that day, with red, puffy eyes and an even redder nose. She sneezed a few times, too. I should have caught on it at that very moment. I should have known that something is wrong, but I didn't. Then, the flu developed overnight."

"She left the woods on time, Prim. How could she have come home late?" I ask in confusion. Where had she been?

"That day was dad's birthday…" Yeah, I remember her telling me about that. "She must have gone to the lake."

"The lake?"

"Yes. Dad and Kat used to have this special lake. They never shared it with anyone. She must have gone there. To…mourn. And then, she must have caught this flu by being out in the cold for too long without proper clothing."

"Oh,"

A special lake? Makes sense. She would have gone there to mourn her father when probably those two are the only human souls to visit that place.

"Prim, how did you discover that she was sick? She wouldn't have told you that."

"She didn't tell me. It was just luck that I woke up to get water around the time she leaves for hunting. She wasn't in bed when I woke up, so I thought she'd already left. I went to the kitchen, and…and…" There are tears in her eyes now, surely not wanting to talk about it. But I know from the look on her face that whatever happened next was horrible, so I press her to tell me. I need to know. "I-I found her lying on the kitchen floor, half unconscious. I was so scared…"

"It's okay, Prim. She'll be fine soon." I try to comfort her, though I really need that comfort from someone, too.

A few minutes later, Prim speaks up, all of a sudden. "You like her, don't you?"

Shock is the first thing I feel. How did this child figure it out? _How?_ The next thing is embarrassment. I can feel heat creeping up to my cheeks.

"How-how did you…?" I stutter a little.

"You've had audience," She giggles. "It's written all over your face. Dad used to look at mom the same way you look at Kat."

Gosh, my secret is out now. This can't be good.

"You wouldn't tell her, right?" I ask, afraid that Catnip might get her hand on this secret. I know she'll start avoiding me if that happens. I don't want that.

"No, I wouldn't." I smile in relief. Then, Prim glances at Catnip and then at me. "She's pretty, isn't she?"

"She's the prettiest girl I've ever seen." The words tumble out of my mouth before I can help it.

"Bye, Prim. I need to go." I quickly say before kissing Catnip's burning forehead and leaving.

**A/N: Hey, again! I had to ask you guys something. **

**Do any of you think that Katniss is too OOC? If you do, then this is the explanation –**

**Guys, I think Katniss was not always as sullen and hostile as SC portrayed her. I think she had another side to herself that she didn't want to accept she had. And as said in the books, she could only be herself with Gale, and this entire story is from Gale's POV, he only ever saw the real Katniss, and not the one she used to pretend she was. So…yeah, this story just has the **_**real**_** side of Katniss.**


	8. Care - Part II

**A/N: Hey readers! I'm back with another chapter! I'm really sorry for the late update, **_**again.**_ **But, I'm an Indian, and in India, you have a lot of festivals lined up in August, and I **_**love**_** festivals, so I hope you can forgive me. **

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews I'm getting. I love them all! **_**Please**_** drop some more of those!**

**Guys, I had been thinking of doing a little quiz contest each week. In this, I'll be asking a question at the end of each chapter related to it. I'll give a shoutout to the first five correct answers. You can give a right answer either through a review or a personal message.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. Gale and his Catnip would've been a happy, hot couple if they were mine.**

Care – Part II

It feels like today would be the same as yesterday. I wake up, go on morning hunt, go to school, come back, then go on afternoon hunt. I don't get much today. I came back empty handed from the morning hunt and now, in the afternoon, I just get two rabbits. I checked on Catnip in the morning and then after school. She was just like she was yesterday.

I walk home to drop off one of the rabbits and then go to check on Catnip, again. As I near her house, I hear loud sobs and wails. Shit. Something's gone wrong. Even before I reach the house, I know its Prim who's crying. What the hell is happening? I don't even realise that I'm full on sprinting until I almost crash into the door. I bang loudly, and the wails coming from inside become even louder.

"Prim! Open the door! It's me!" I yell, panicking to hell. She doesn't open the door, though, just cries harder.

I need to get in. I know I need to get in. I push the door, and much to my surprise, find the door unlocked. It's odd, 'cause Seamers usually don't leave their doors unlocked.

I rush in, banging open the door to Catnip's room. My eyes fall on my partner, who likes like she's sleeping while sitting up in the bed. Her head is on her shoulder and one of her arms is dangling out of the bed. On the floor is a cup with tea spilled around it. It looks like the cup had fallen out of her hand while she was drinking from it.

My eyes travel to the other bed, where I find Prim, curled up in a ball and sobbing uncontrollably. What has happened to Catnip, and why is Prim crying so much? Is she…no! I refuse to think that way. She can't be _dead._ No, she's not dead. She wouldn't leave Prim or me alone. She wouldn't go away. She'll stay with us. Even if she wants to, I wouldn't let her go away. I need her.

I walk over to Prim, and sit down beside her. "Prim, what happened?" She looks at me and her eyes look almost relieved to see me, but she doesn't say anything. "What happened to her, Prim? Why are you crying?"

"She's…she's…" Prim tries to say, but instead starts sobbing again. What was she about to say, anyway? She's what? _Please not dead. Anything but dead._

"Tell me, Prim," I ask again. "Please?"

"She's unconscious!" Prim starts wailing, "She's going to die!"

_What? No. That's not going to happen, _I try to assure myself, but I can myself feel the panic, fear, and hysteria building up in my body. I rush over to Catnip's side and take her in my arms. I start tapping her cheek impatiently, trying to wake her up. I _refuse_ to accept the fact that she might die.

"Catnip, get up. Wake up, Katniss. Wake up for Prim. For me. Please, Catnip? Please wake up!" I keep pleading with her. I pick up her wrist to check for her pulse. It's there. She's still alive.

"Prim," I call. She looks at me and for a moment, stops crying. "There has to be a way to save her, Prim. We wouldn't let her die, okay?"

"If-if only t-the fever goes down…" She stammers. I instantly feel a steely resolve push back all the fear and panic, though I myself don't know where it's coming from. Getting her fever down is my goal now.

"You have any herbs for it?" I ask Prim. She shakes her head

"I tried all of them already. It's done nothing in three days!" Prim yells and starts sobbing again.

Something strikes me, and I now I know why I've been saving up money for the past three days. Right for this situation.

"W-what about the fever meds? The one they have at the apothecary?" I ask hopefully. Maybe those Capitol-made fever meds would save my Catnip's life. I really hope they do.

"That might help," Prim says. That's it. That's all it takes to get my hopes up. Maybe I shouldn't be too hopeful, but at least I need to be positive.

"I'll be back soon," I yell as I run out.

I sprint all the way to my home, only stopping to open the door. I try to calm myself for the little while I'll be here for my family's sake. I walk with firm but fast steps to my room, only to be stopped by my mother halfway there.

"What's wrong, honey?" She asks with big, concerned eyes. She must have noticed my bewildered state by now. Nothing can be hidden from her. A small part of me just wants to hug her and cry on her shoulder and give up, but I will stay strong for my Catnip. She needs me right now.

"I explain you later, mom. Let me go now, please." I say as calmly as I can at this moment. Mom just nods and I fly into my room and to my drawer where I have been secretly saving money for Catnip.

Thirteen coins. That's what I have for her medicine. I just hope that's enough.

I run all the way to town, clutching those thirteen coins for dear life. Maybe not mine, but these might save Catnip's life. And honestly, I take that back. These might save my life too, because if Catnip doesn't live, I don't know what will be left of me. Maybe that's what you call love, when you can't imagine your life without the other person. But do I love her? A big, very serious crush – yes. Love – I don't know.

I run into the apothecary, only to see an old, blonde woman at the counter, knitting.

"Can I meet Mr. Carter?" I ask the woman. She doesn't even look up from her needles and shakes her head.

"I'm his mother. Tell me what the problem is." She says in a bored voice, as if it's not someone's life that's on line.

"Um," I don't know why she's making me feel awkward but this woman is the best help Catnip can get right now, so I gush out. "My friend has a flu, and her fever is really high. I mean, she's unconscious now. Her sister says that she might die if her temperature doesn't reduce soon. Do you have fever meds?"

Much to my relief, she nods. "Do you have money?"

"Yes, but I don't-" She cuts me off.

"Patient's name?" This woman still hasn't looked up at me.

"Katniss Everdeen." I say. She instantly looks up at me with an angry glare and a scowl. What is up with this woman?

"Did you say _Everdeen?_" She growls. What the hell is the problem with Everdeen? Why can't she just give me that damn medicine so I can reach my Catnip in time? I slowly nod to her question. "I'm not giving you that medicine even if you offer me a million coins!"

_What?_

"She'll die! She needs the medicine!" I yell back at her.

An almost wicked grin forms across her lips, and she glares at me. "Let your little friend die," She says cunningly, "I'll be happier."

"What? Why?!" I scream, trying to make this mad woman see sense. My Catnip is dying right now, and she'll be happier if she does?

"Because she's an Everdeen!" She yells at me and practically throws me out of the building.

That's it. That's when all of that hope I had falls to the ground and crushes under some rich townie's expensive shoe. I lean against a wall and throw my head back, resting it on the bricks.

I failed her. I failed my Catnip. She felt safe around me and I failed her. I was supposed to get her medicine and I couldn't. I don't know what problem that woman had with the name 'Everdeen' but I do know that she wouldn't give me that medicine even if President Snow ordered her to. It was clear in her very voice.

_I failed my Catnip. She'll die because of me…_

I stand there, hands fisted inside my coat pocket, trying to blink back tears that threaten to fall from my eyes when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I look up from where I had been staring at my shoes to look into deep, blue eyes of a blonde man who looks to be in his mid-thirties. Strangely enough, his eyes look too much like Prim's.

"You're the one who came looking for fever meds for Katniss Everdeen, right?" The man asks me, sticking out his hand for me to shake. I ignore it and slowly nod. He smiles warmly. "I'm Leonard Carter," He introduces himself. This means he's the apothecary.

"Gale Hawthorne," I say my name quietly. "What do you want?"

He takes my hand and presses a small pouch into it. I examine it and find three small tablets inside and a small printed label on the pouch saying 'fever meds.'

"Why are you giving this to me now?" I ask harshly. Certainly being humiliated by his mother and feeling all that guilt after that wasn't fun. "Plus, I might not have enough money for this." I add, remembering I have only thirteen coins and I don't know the price of this medicine.

"It's for free," He says with a genuine smile, though it confuses me further. One moment, his mother wants Catnip to die, and another, he's giving me free medicine for her.

"Wha-" I start but Leonard cuts me off.

"She's my niece,"

"What!" I gasp in disbelief. How can this even be possible? Catnip being the apothecary's niece…that doesn't make any sense.

"How do you think her mother and sister got the town look, boy?" He asks me. Okay, now that I think of it this way, maybe it makes a little sense. "And where did they get their healing skills from? Her mother is my elder sister."

"Oh. Why does your mother want her dead then?" I ask with curiosity now.

"That's a very long story, boy, and I'm afraid you don't have much time. I heard every word of that conversation you had with my mother. When a person has fever and they fall unconscious, it's just a matter of hours before they die. And just for your curiosity, my sister, Elizabeth, fell in love with a Seam man and my parents disowned her. Now go quick and save Katniss." _Oh, so that happened…_

I start to walk away, but then another thought comes to my mind. He's giving them for _free._ That's _charity._

"I wouldn't take charity, Mr. Carter." I state. Leonard just smiles and shakes his head.

"It's not charity, boy. I told you – she's my niece. I'm giving to _Katniss,_ so that she doesn't die. My sister lost her husband already; I don't want her to lose her daughter too. Now go, and don't let her die. Please?"

I think I understand this now. Maybe it's not charity. He's doing this for his own niece, and I don't think giving medicine for your family can count as charity, so with one curt nod, I begin to walk off. But, Leonard stops me again.

"I forgot to tell you the dosage," He says with a small smile. "Mix the tablet in water before giving it to her since she's unconscious. And give the second dosage after five hours. Same with the third one." I nod again and run off.

* * *

I knock on Catnip's door, and a few minutes later, Prim opens the door with a tearstained face and a frown. I hold up the small pouch that will save my Catnip's life and both of us grin in relief.

"You got the medicine!" She exclaims in delight and before I know it, her skinny arms wrap around my waist and she's hugging me. I hug her back and she whispers into my stomach, "Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I pull back and place a hand on her cheek. "Your sister means a lot to me, you know." A knowing smirk takes over her features almost immediately.

"I know,"

I walk in and go directly to the kitchen, while Prim follows me. I hand her the pouch and tell her all the instructions Leonard gave me about the medicine. After that, I go to the girls' room and sit beside an unconscious Catnip's form. I take her in my arms and wait for Prim to arrive with the prepared medicine. A few minutes later, she walks in with a glass containing a white-ish liquid. She comes up to the bed and hands me the glass, motioning me to make Catnip drink it. I know all attempts at waking her up would go in vain, so I don't even try that.

Several minutes and a very tiny amount of medicine on the floor later, we're finally managed to force the medicine down Catnip's throat. I keep sitting beside Catnip and take her hand in mine and absentmindedly start rubbing her knuckles with my thumb. Prim skips off to the kitchen to cook dinner, while I stay with Catnip.

It's starting to get dark now and I know I should go home, but somehow, I can't find myself getting away from Catnip's side. What if something happens to her while I'm gone? I know I'm being crazy; one dosage of medicine is already inside her and it's Capitol-made. It must be working wonders inside her.

But…what if Prim forgets to give her the second dosage? No, she's not that irresponsible, especially when it's her sister's life that's on line.

Right at that moment, Prim enters the room with two steaming bowls of stew. Think of the devil…nah, Prim's not at all a devil; she's an angel, actually. So correction – think of the angel and angel is here. She hands me a bowl, though I'm quite hesitant about it. My family must be waiting for me for dinner. I know I should go, but I still find myself glued to Catnip's side.

"Eat, Gale," Prim insists. She looks at me with such large, blue, hopeful eyes that I can't deny, so I take the bowl and lift the spoon to my mouth, slurping the stew quietly. I have to say – Prim is actually an amazing cook. The stew is really good, and I've licked the bowl clean within minutes.

"You make really good food, Prim." I compliment her and she blushes and mumbles a quiet thank you. I just chuckle as I place the now empty bowl on the nightstand.

I can't help but wonder how different these two sisters are. Had I complimented Catnip on her archery skills, she would have punched my arm and said she's nowhere as good with snares as I am. And Prim, she's a kind of person who would take compliments sincerely and appreciate them.

Prim is a trainee apothecary while by what I've come to know over the months, Catnip can't stand injuries and sickness. Especially blood. Um, to be more specific – human blood. I've seen how she slits an animal's throat when they get caught in one of my snares. She would do it viciously, splattering blood on herself. I can't help but admire vicious Catnip.

Anyway, I don't even know how these two girls are sisters…

I suddenly feel a wave of exhaustion hit me, and I have to rest my head against the headboard. I don't know why it's happening. Maybe it's because I've eaten after a long time. After all, I had skipped lunch today. Or maybe it's the events of the last days finally taking their toll on my body. I haven't had a lot of sleep in the last two nights because of my fear and worry for Catnip.

I feel my eyes drooping, and all of a sudden, I want nothing more than to rest the night away, so I let my eyes close and swiftly drift off into a peaceful slumber, still clutching my Catnip's hand.

* * *

I'm running again, but I don't know where my destination is. Hell, I've already done so much running today, it somehow feels like I'm normally walking. I don't feel that burning sensation in my calves that I should I feel after running so much. Whenever I had been running earlier, I ran for a purpose, whereas now, I have no purpose. I'm just running.

Then it comes into view – my destination. The graveyard. Why have my feet brought me here? Why the hell am I here when I shouldn't be? I should be beside my Catnip, taking care of her, telling her that she's safe now. I got her medicine, after all. She'll be okay, I know it.

I hear someone crying and wailing. These cries sound like I've heard them before, but I can't place whom they are coming from. No, maybe I can. It's Prim. But why is Prim crying now? Shouldn't she be happy? Her sister is going to be fine.

I follow her voice, coursing my way around various graves. Finally after several minutes, I see Prim's little blonde head. She's sitting on the ground on her knees and crying into her hands, letting her tears fall freely over a particular grave. There's another girl. She's around Catnip's age and has blonde hair. She's also wearing an expensive black dress. I wonder who she is, because her back is turned to me and I can't see her face. And, it's not every day you see someone in an _expensive_ dress. Whoever she is, I can tell by the light shaking of her shoulders that she is crying too. There's another woman, again a blondie. Her face is completely expressionless, and I vaguely recognise her as the apothecary, Catnip's mother. What is up with all these people?

As I near the grave, I read the name on the tombstone. _Katniss Everdeen._ What? This…this is my Catnip's funeral going on? No, I thought she had the medicine. She _should_ be fine.

I turn on my heel, running away, refusing to accept my Catnip's death. No, this can't be true. It just can't be. No…

However much I try to deny it, I know deep down that my Catnip is dead and I cannot live without her. She's my sunshine and without Catnip, my life is a deep, dark abyss with no meaning to it. I don't know why didn't realize it while she was still alive, but now that she's _dead,_ I know I love her. It's not a big schoolboy crush that I have on her, it's love. It's pure, deep love. And now I'm just left with a big gaping hole in my heart that I know will never be filled. And it hurts mercilessly.

I run away as fast as I can. Away from her grave. I don't think I can stand to be in front of it when I just realised that I love her and now I have no means to tell her. _She's dead._

I reach the town square, and there, I see the most shocking site I would ever see. There's a makeshift stage in front of the Justice Building, with teenagers roped off into age-wise sections. Our district's escort, Effie Trinket, is on the stage in her ridiculously high heels and neon purple get up. Two bowl filled with thousands of slips of paper are there on the stage. It's a reaping.

But there's snow surrounding the town square, and I know it's December right now. Reapings take place in summer. How is this even possible?

Before I can completely process the situation in my head, Effie Trinket's ridiculously high pitched voice cuts through the town square.

"Ladies first!" She walks over to the girls' reaping bowl and pulls out one single slip of paper. "Katniss Everdeen!" She announces with such flourish that I feel like punching her. How can they reap my Catnip when she's already dead?!

I run again, this time to the woods. I duck under the fence and run all the way to the rock. _The very same place where she asked me to meet her before she fell sick and died…_

When I reach there, I see _her._ She's on her two feet, well alive and healthy. Just the sight of my Catnip fills me with relief and joy. Seriously, this joy is overwhelming. I run to her and take her in my arms, lifting her off the ground.

"Catnip…" I breathe in her hair, "I thought you were dead." She pulls back and places a hand on my cheek, smiling brightly.

There's a swoosh somewhere and the sound of an arrow embedding into something. At the same time, Catnip gasps and her face drains. I feel something wet and warm on my hands which are still on her back. I draw one hand back and see the red liquid dripping from it. _It's blood. _Catnip starts falling and I catch her and hold her. Her body goes limp and her breathing turns shallow. That's when I feel the shaft of an arrow sticking out of her back. Someone shot her.

"Catnip?" I call as I kneel down with her still in my arms. She's bleeding out fast, and I know she's going to die. "Catnip, stay with me."

"Goodbye, Gale," She gasps out. Her eyes droop close and a moment later, I hear a canon.

A canon? Are we in an arena? Does this canon indicate Catnip's death? I panic. Is Catnip dead? No. I got her back after I thought I lost her. I can't lose her again. I pick up her wrist to check her pulse. It's not there. _She's dead._ The girl I love is dead.

I tighten my arms around her and bend over her lifeless body, letting the tears fall. I sob softly for a long while before I feel a soft tug on my hand. I ignore it but the tugging is persistent. It doesn't go away. Why can't this person let me grieve my Catnip's death in peace?

I turn abruptly so that this stupid person would stop, but when I turn, I can't see anything. Everything is black. I turn back to Catnip, but I _can _see her whereas when I turn again, everything I see is black. After some time, I figure out that my eyes close when I turn around. I force myself to open my eyes and as I do so, I feel the light of a candle hit my eyes. I open my eyes to slits and see that the woods are gone, and I'm in a dark room that I don't recognise, with a lit candle a few feet from my face. I try to turn back to Catnip, but I can't. My body seems to be paralysed in a way that I can't see Catnip. Even when I turn my head, I remain in this room. I want to go back to the woods. There's already a lot that has happened to me; I don't want another thing on top of that. My love died. At least I have the right to mourn my Catnip in a place that belonged just to us. Or do I?

"Gale?" I hear my name being whispered. Nice, so now this person is not only tugging at my hand, but also calling my name. But, I think I recognise this voice. Prim, I think. What's up with Prim now? And how do I tell her that her sister bled to death in my arms?

"Gale, wake up." Prim's voice says. Wait, wake up? What does she mean? Wasn't I in the woods with Catnip's body? Am I asleep? "Open your eyes." Her voice instructs. I open my eyes a little more and Prim's face fills my view.

"Prim?" I croak out. Why is my voice so raspy? I guess it's from all the crying I did over Catnip's body. But what do I tell Prim? How do I face her? Catnip just died in my arms…

"Good thing you're awake now." She smiles brightly at me. "It's almost time for her second dosage." Huh? Second dosage? I open my eyes a little more and now, I feel almost groggy. Was I sleeping? I hope yes. I hope this is all a nightmare because I can't live in a world where my Catnip doesn't exist. I know I will survive - I'm not one to give up on life, but I would never truly _live._

"Was I asleep?" I ask Prim hopefully and she smile.

"Yes, you fell asleep." With that comment, all the grogginess, fear and anxiety is gone and the only thing I feel is relief and happiness. I was just sleeping! Yes! It was just a nightmare. My Catnip's not dead. I _can_ feel a hot hand resting in mine.

Yes, now I remember. I had fallen asleep after I had the stew while I was still holding my Catnip's hand. _My Catnip. She's alive…_

I turn my head to glance at her. It looks like she's still unconscious, but I can see a layer of sweat on her forehead. Good, her fever has finally broken. I quickly take her unconscious from in my arms and hug her to my chest in relief. She's alive. She's not dead like she was in that awful nightmare.

"You were crying in your sleep, you know." Prim comments after a minute. "That's why I woke you up."

"I was crying?" I ask in bewilderment.

"Yes. Had a nightmare?" I nod. "You wanna talk about it?" For this, I shake my head.

"I don't want to live through it again. It was horrible."

"Kat says that talking about your nightmares with someone helps to cope with them. You should talk about it." she says so matter-of-factly, I give in.

"Catnip died in my nightmare," I confess. Her expression immediately darkens and her big blue eyes acquire a sheen of tears.

"It really was horrible." She says in a thick voice.

"But it made me realize I _love_ her." I grin. Then I realize what I have just said and clap my hand on my mouth in a desperate attempt to _unsay_ it, however unrealistic it may sound. I feel heat creeping up my cheeks and Prim giggles freely at my ever-reddening face.

"C'mon, it's time for Kat's second dosage." She dismisses the topic, much to my contentment. I look out of the window; it's completely dark now. And Catnip's second dosage is supposed to be given after five hours.

"What time is it, Prim?" I ask. Has it been five hours? Shit. I need to get back home quickly.

"Ten o' clock." Prim says blankly.

"Ten?! I've got to get home." I quickly start getting up, but Prim stops me.

"You don't have to worry about that." She smiles sweetly, "I ran over to your house and explained the situation to your mom. She has allowed you to stay the night here."

Wait, what? Mom allowed me to stay here? That's new. But, how did Prim know which house is mine? She's been there once, I know, for helping mom with Posy's birth, but still…

"How did you know which house is mine?" I finally ask out of curiosity. She blushes a deep red and starts staring at her shoes. After a few seconds of heavy silence, she answers.

"Um-uh, um, Rory and I-um, we're friends." She blushes even deeper and continues. "I've been at your place a few times."

Okay, Rory and Prim are _friends._ This girl is smart enough to fool her sister, but not me. All of this blushing gives her away. I _know_ these two are either more than friends or have a crush on each other. I remember my little brother blushing, too, when I met her the first time, on the day of Posy's birth. Okay, I think I'll like teasing her.

"Hey, Prim!" I exclaim, "Did you notice something?" She shakes her head in response. "I have a thing for your sister and _you_ have a thing for my brother. Isn't this the greatest coincidence?"

"Shut up," She blushes even more and exits the room while grinning like an idiot.

A few minutes later, she comes back in with a glass of Catnip's medicine. This time around, we know the procedure on how to get that liquid into Catnip's system. It's simple enough; I don't know why it took half a glass of medicine for us to figure it out. Open her mouth, pour a tiny amount of medicine on her tongue, close her mouth and tip her head back. Then repeat. It's agonisingly slow, I know, but that's the only possibly way we could figure out that did not include spilling the medicine onto the floor.

It still takes time, but we do it without spilling at all, this time. After we're done, Prim turns to me.

"You can take my bed." She tells me sweetly. But this is wrong. I can't take her bed. Where will she sleep if I take her bed.

"I'll sleep on the couch, Prim." I reply.

"Don't worry about me, Gale. I'll sleep with mom. I usually sleep in her bed, anyway, so it wouldn't matter."

That kind of makes sense, and what is the point of sleeping uncomfortably on the couch when you have an option of a bed and no one has a problem with that?

"Okay," I tell her and she quickly flits off to another room. I take this as a cue to go to bed as well.

I climb into Prim's bed after lightly kissing my Catnip's forehead and pull a blanket up to my shoulders. It doesn't take me too long to fall back asleep.

* * *

It's been two days since Catnip…almost died. It was really hard for me and Prim, because she didn't wake up for another twelve after we gave her the third dosage of the fever meds. When she did, though, it was almost magical. Prim and I were sitting on Prim's bed and chatting idly after I came back the next evening. We were watching her while we talked and then all of a sudden, her finger twitched a little. It was the first voluntary movement in her body in more than thirty-six hours. Her eyebrows furrowed a little and her finger twitched a second time. Then, a moment later, Prim's name rolled off her tongue almost inaudibly. Her voice sounded desperate; as if she was worried if her sister was okay.

I couldn't stop wondering how much this girl loves her sister. She was still worried about Prim when it was her own life that was in danger.

Prim was all over her a second later, hugging her and peppering her face with kisses, while I somehow watched in fascination. I don't know why I felt so fascinated. Maybe it was just that seeing my dream girl come back from the clutches of death left me unable to respond to anything for a few moments.

I vaguely heard Prim call my name, which brought me back to my senses. I sense of pure joy and relief flooded me and I grinned at her. I quickly walked over to Catnip's bedside (which actually isn't more than four steps) and hugged her tightly. To my surprise and sheer joy, she hugged me back, lightly wrapping her weak arms around my torso.

"Don't you ever do that to me ever again," I commanded in a soft whisper.

"What?" She asked, her voice very weak and hoarse.

"Don't you ever scare me or Prim like that, okay?" I said a little louder.

"What did I do, Gale?" Catnip asked, and I could sense that string of guilt that it had. "I was just asleep for a few hours."

That set me off. "No!" I whisper-yelled, not wanting to speak any louder. I guess I was thinking that Catnip is a fragile thing right now which would break if exposed to anything harsher. "You have been unconscious since yesterday noon! That is almost thirty-six hours." I said that last part in an almost dreadful voice.

She tried to hug me a little tighter, failing miserably. "Sorry," she whispered finally.

Prim and I then told her about everything that happened while she was unconscious. It was something like this – Prim came into the room with a fresh set of blankets after she had given Catnip some fever reducing tea and found her unconscious. She tried to wake her up to no avail and she knew that being unconscious due to high fever meant that it was almost impossible for you to survive, so she gave up all hope and started crying. I came around a few hours later and Prim explained everything to me and I went to the apothecary to get her medicine. When I told her that her uncle gave the medicine for free, she laughed it off calling it a 'nice joke.' She claimed that I was just making up stories to distract her and that the medicine came from the money I had saved up. She outright refused to believe it.

I don't know much about her family's problems, but it seemed like Catnip shares the hatred her grandparents have for her family. But I know as much that she doesn't want them dead as her grandmother wanted her to be.

It has taken two day, but now Catnip's temperature is normal, though the _very_ high fever has left her really weak, and she isn't able to take two steps without falling, let alone hunting, and I can tell that she's frustrated to no end. So just to cheer her up today, I bring Rory along with me when I go to visit her and drop off meat after my lonely afternoon hunt.

Rory doesn't have the knowledge that his crush is the sister of the person we are visiting, so he had zero hesitation in tagging along when I asked him. As the door of the Everdeens' residence opens, Prim pokes her head out and seeing me, opens the door wider. She mustn't have seen Rory (as he's standing behind me) while opening the door, and as soon as the two eight-year olds' eyes meet, they turn bright red and start staring at their shoes.

"Hi, Prim," I say and invite myself in, walking straight to Catnip's room. Behind me, I hear the two kids exchange a shy word of greeting and Prim inviting him inside.

"Come, Rory." I call over my shoulder. "Catnip would be happy to meet you."

The two kids awkwardly follow behind me as we enter Catnip's room. My love's face lights up as she looks up from a book in her lap at me.

"Hey, Catnip," I say cheerfully and sit beside her on her bed. "There's someone I want you to meet." I announce and Rory awkwardly comes over to the bedside, still a little red, and sticks out his hand. She shakes his hand, which is surprisingly a little bit bigger than hers, despite her being four years older than him.

"Is he a mini version of you?" She whispers in my ear. She must have noticed how much alike Rory and I look. Just like me, he's also bigger than most kids his age and our facial features are almost similar.

"You can say that. He's my younger brother, though." I whisper back. She thinks for a while, then responds.

"Rory…or Vick?" She wonders out loud.

Rory beams up at his mention and proudly announces his name. "I'm Rory Hawthorne!"

Catnip and Rory exchange a few words before the kids go off to the living room to play. I glance at the book that is still lying in her lap and see a painting of a plant with some text below it. Catnip notices me looking into her book and answers my unspoken question herself.

"This is my family's plant book. Mom brought it from the apothecary when she got married. At that time, it just had the pictures and descriptions of medicinal plants, but dad added a section of edible plants to it. This is what helped me provide for my family during the first months after I started hunting." She tells me. "Let's read it together," she suggests and I nod eagerly.

Now I know how she has this amazing knowledge of all plants. Whenever we are in the woods, she would always know the name of the plant I point to. She also knows which one is edible and which one is not. Maybe I'll gain some knowledge by reading this book with her, too. But when she starts reading, I look more at her perfectly sculptured lips moving to form word than in the book.

She nudges me at some point, asking me to pay extra attention to this particular berry that the page is open to.

"This is nightlock. You eat this and you're dead even before it goes down your oesophagus." She tells me in a warning tone. I carefully look at the picture of this berry and I think I have seen it somewhere. Then it clicks me. This is the same berry I had collected the day I first met Catnip in the woods. I was doubtful if those berries were edible and had thought I would ask someone, but they got spoiled before I could so I threw it away. Good thing nobody ate it.

We spend around an hour on that book and I still keep staring at Catnip's beautiful, soft lips as she speaks. Rory and Prim went out to play with a few other friends around twenty minutes ago.

Catnip turns a page and this new page has 'Katniss' written on top of it in a beautiful, cursive handwriting. The plant that is painted below has arrowhead-like leaves and pretty white flowers.

"This is the plant I was named after." Catnip tells me. "It has edible tubers, and when boiled, they are as good as any other potato."

She sees the potato in this plant, whereas I see the beautiful flowers and the arrowhead leaves. Isn't it ironic? She's named after a plant whose flowers are pretty just like her and the leaves are like arrowheads, and she's an amazing archer. This plant truly suits her.

Before I can respond, a voice I don't recognise calls from the room's doorway. "Katniss?"

Catnip's smile falters and her features harden. She grows tense beside me and looks up at a blonde woman pointedly. She's the apothecary, her mother, I guess.

"What do you want?" Catnip asks harshly. I know she's getting heated up so I place my hand on her forearm in an attempt to calm her down.

"Why is there a boy in your bed?" Her mother asks, pointing to me. Around thirty minutes earlier, I had pulled her blanket over my legs as I was getting cold, so maybe that's what upsets her. It's not like we're _doing_ anything. "Your father wouldn't have approved of that, you know," She states and now I can almost see steam pouring out of Catnip's ears.

"My father would not have approved of what you did to you own daughters. You left them to die." She seethes in a threateningly low tone. "And my father certainly wouldn't have minded me sitting in the same bed as the boy who saved my life not just once, but twice. I don't even care about my own life. You left us to starve to death. It was me who took care of her and myself so the peacekeepers wouldn't know what you did and not take her to that damn community home. It is me who hunts so that Prim or you don't die. And now, you left us again when I fell sick. _This boy_ you have problem with and Prim, they told me I almost died. _They_ took care of me when I couldn't take care of myself. Prim is _child_, she couldn't detect my problem properly. But _you._ You could have done that because you are experienced. Do you even realise what would happen to Prim if I die? And Gale is my friend, the only person I talk to other than Prim, so I do not care if you have any problem with him. I have taught myself to be my own mother. Don't try to be my mother _now._"

All this while, I had kept my attention on Catnip as her face turned red with anger. When Catnip's speech ends, I finally look up at her mother to find tears running down her face.

"I'm so sorry, Katniss…" She takes a few steps toward her daughter, probably to embrace her.

"Your apology doesn't matter!" Catnip somehow manages to yell, even though her body is very weak right now. "Go away!" Her mother slowly turns around and leaves the room. As soon as she does, Catnip slumps against the headboard and I see a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Hey…Catnip," I say soothingly, trying to calm her down, rubbing her arm. "It'll be alright…"

To my surprise, she jumps and wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my chest. I tightly wrap my own arms around her, letting her tears soak my shirt. Soon, she starts sobbing softly, and I let her. I think it would be good for her to cry it out. It's not long before her soft sobs turn into loud ones. Once she's cried her weak self out, she doesn't break our embrace. Instead, she rests her head on my chest and drifts off.

* * *

_I care for her. I really do. Had she died from this illness, I would have never been able to recover from the heartbreak it would have caused me. My heart wouldn't have been whole again. It would have just been a bundle of a million glass shards that couldn't be placed back together, no matter how hard anyone tried. _

_Some nights, when I can't sleep, I absently wonder what is so amazing about this girl. I wonder what caused me to be drawn towards her. I wonder why I always get so excited about seeing her on the rock in the woods .I just keep wondering until I realise the answers to all my questions. It's something that is just _Catnip_ that makes me love her._

_I love her and I can't live without her. That's a truth…_

* * *

**Quiz time – **

**Who is the blonde girl in an expensive dress in Gale's nightmare?**

**Answer, answer!**


	9. Important Author's Note

Hi, guys. I've got to tell you all something. I wouldn't be able to post a new chapter anytime soon because my exams are coming up. The next chapter will be posted on 23rd of September, since that's the day my exams end. Thanks for bearing with me.


	10. Trade

**A/N: Hey, readers! I'm back! Exams over! Yayyy! Anyway, I'm **_**really**_** sorry. I know I promised I'll post this chapter on 23****rd****, and it's already 25****th****, but I had a few things on my schedule after my exams that I couldn't do this earlier. **

**Anyway, the correct answer for the quiz of the last chapter is – Madge Undersee! Correct answers by – catniphawthorrne and L Ramsay! **

**Disclaimer: I own a laptop, a phone, this FanFiction story, but I do not own The Hunger Games.**

**Quiz Time below the chapter!**

Trade

"Where do you trade, Gale?" My Catnip asks me.

We're sitting on the rock that overlooks the valley. It took Catnip a week to regain her strength after her sickness, but the day she was strong enough to hunt again, I hadn't seen her happier. It was as if a part of her came alive as she set her foot in the woods.

After her fight with her mother that day, she had been in a particularly bad mood for a long time, which only added to her own frustration. I couldn't think of anything to cheer her up at that time, so I had done the only thing that came to my mind. I brought her katniss flowers from the woods. I had found a bunch of those arrowhead like leaves near a stream in the woods and I knew it was a katniss plant, so I just tore off a few pretty, white flowers and tied them together with some extra twine. I presented them to her afterwards and when she saw them, I knew it was the right decision. The look on my Catnip's face screamed delight and she even rewarded me with a hug. It just felt so amazing to see her happy because of me, I feel like doing it again and again.

"Where do you trade?" She asks me again, her voice bringing be back from my daydream.

"The town market," I reply her plainly. Where else would you trade, anyway? It's not like the Hob is the best place to do that. "What about you?"

"The Hob," She says and I tense. It's not safe for her to go there. She shouldn't go there at all. "You shouldn't trade in the town market, Gale," she states.

"Why?" I ask, perplexed. What is a safer place to trade illegal game?

"Because you don't usually get a fair price in the market. How much does Rooba pay you for a rabbit?" She talks as if I'm her student. Well, right now, feel a little like am. I feel like she's teaching me how to trade and asking me questions like a teacher would ask her pupil.

"Three coins per rabbit, no matter however big or small it may be." I tell her Rooba's standard price. She's the butcher's wife, who usually trades with me, and the deal with her is that if she offers you a price, you take it or leave it. Haggling is not an option with her. The baker, on the other hand, is usually insisting me to take more. That guy is really a unique one.

"Exactly. Greasy Sae at the Hob will give you four coins for a medium or small-sized rabbit and more for a larger one, _and_ a bowl of soup." She tells me, and I have to say, it can't be more appealing. "Where do you go for squirrels?"

"The bakery," I answer her question yet again.

"The baker's good for squirrels. Always pays me more than they are worth."

"Me, too," I tell her and she looks at me.

"Anyway, I want to show you something. Come," she gets up and I follow her.

She leads me to the hollow log where she stores her weapons. I started keeping my weapons with hers there a few weeks ago after she got her logic of rotting wood through my thick skull. I don't understand what she wants to show me here. She reaches into the hollow and pulls out a bow I have never seen before. She hand it to me and I examine it.

"It used to be your father's…" Her voice trails off, and I feel a pang of loss hit me. This used to be my father's bow? "I thought you might want to use it." I nod. I really do want to use it. It is another thing of my father's that he left me, and I will use it.

I examine the bow more closely, and trail a finger along its shaft with a light touch. That's when I see it – 'C H' carved in the wood at the very end of the shaft – my father's initials. He must have carved them on it before he died. Suddenly, a range of varying emotions course through me, and I don't know why, but I engulf Catnip in a bone-crushing hug. She hugs be back, as well. This can't be better.

"Thank you," I whisper and feel her smile against my chest.

"It's okay," she tells me and breaks our embrace, much to my disappointment. I can hold her in my arms all day, every day; I love her, after all. But it doesn't matter much, I guess. We've been hugging regularly these days (we even have a brief hug when we go separate ways after hunting), especially after her illness, so I'll get another chance to hold her again.

"C'mon, I'll show you the Hob today," She grips my forearm and begins to drag me behind her. I'm really looking forward to going to the Hob, especially when I've heard a lot about the crimes that take place around it. I mean, you can get robbed if you have any money or food and girls a little older than Catnip (like the ones in my grade and above) can get raped by drunken men if they go alone. I never want that to happen to my Catnip, so I guess I'll accompany her, even if I'm nervous and maybe a little scared about being there.

Catnip guides me all the way from the woods to the warehouses that surround the Hob, I stop her. She looks at me funny and tried to drag me along, but did I ever tell you? I much bigger, heavier and taller than most boys my age and Catnip is much smaller, lighter and shorter than most girls her age, even though she's not starving, what with father hunting before he died and now her, she has access to most of the nutrients Seam people don't get. So there's no way in hell she can drag me if I don't want her to and in this situation, I stand my ground.

"Is it safe, Catnip?" I ask her with a serious look and a warning tone.

"Of course it is, Idiot." She chuckles, "Don't you trust me?"

"I do, Catnip, but-" I start but she cuts me off.

"Then no buts. C'mon, Idiot," she grips my arm again, and this time, I let her drag me. I do trust her and I know she wouldn't get me into trouble.

We reach the old, coal dust covered warehouse that is the illegal black market of District 12. It used to be a place for storing coal many years ago, but it lost its use with time and people started setting up stalls here, hence grew the black market.

Catnip opens the door to the Hob and motions me inside. As soon as I enter, though, I see a flash of white. _Peacekeepers. _I know Catnip wouldn't turn me in, but what if the peacekeepers have found out about the black market and are here to clear it out? There's a chance she didn't know about it herself, and we're around a bunch of peacekeepers with half a dozen rabbits and three squirrels stuffed in our bags. What if the peacekeepers catch us? It's a surety that they would kill us if they found out about our hunting. Who will provide for our families, then? What if they _whip _us? That is the one thing I'm scared of since the day I saw that man getting whipped when I was younger.

I quickly grip Catnip's hand and pull her out along with myself. She leans against the warehouse wall and just smirks at me. Does she not realize how much danger we are in? We _need_ to get out of here right now. A second later, her beautiful features twist into an almost amused look and I can tell she's trying to hold in laughter.

"What is so funny?" I ask harshly, but her amused expression just intensifies further. "We're in deep shit, you know? There are _peacekeepers_ in there!" I whisper-yell.

"You should have seen you face!" She exclaims and then bursts out laughing. Her laughter would have sounded melodic to me if I wasn't almost sure that I'm going to die. But it's still beautiful.

"Catnip, it's not funny. We might die!" I yell at her, trying to make her see sense. I don't even know what she's laughing at and now it's annoying the shit out of me. "We need to get out of here!"

Just then, a drunk, middle-aged man exits the Hob with a bottle of white liquor in his hand. I instantly recognise his as District 12's only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy.

"What is all this yelling and laughing?" He slurs in a teasing matter.

"Shut up, Old Drunk!" I sneer at Abernathy while Catnip starts to double over with laughter. He leaves with a smirk on his face.

I try talking to Catnip a few more times in an order to make her understand that this might be our very last day on this planet if we don't leave _right now,_ but in the end, I figure out that Catnip is laughing even more when I try to talk, so I just give up and lean against the wall beside her, waiting for her still melodic laughs to subside. Maybe it's just me who's reacting too much, 'cause she's just laughing at me right now. And you can't exactly laugh this much if you know your life is in danger. So maybe it's just me…

Finally – _finally_ – Catnip stops laughing and looks at me with a still amused expression.

"Come, Idiot," She takes my hand and I don't know if I'll ever be able to let it go. "I'll show you around the Hob." She pulls me behind her and drags me in.

Okay, this place is weird. There are at least five hundred people here and they don't even give a damn that there is a large table right in the middle of the warehouse that is occupied by at least twenty five peacekeepers. There are stalls along the walls and a few of them are noticeably big. Like the one near the peacekeeper table that has an old lady standing behind the counter with a young girl who doesn't exactly look, well…stable, by her appearance. There is a large pot on the countertop and a few bowls are lying here and there. Two peacekeepers are at her stall, and they don't even seem to mind that this is a black market and they are supposed to actually not let it exist.

There's another stall that has a fair crowd. And surprisingly, this one is also owned by an old lady who has just one arm. There are at least ten people at her stall, including our district's Head Peacekeeper, Cray, and all of them look drunk. Maybe she's the booze lady I've heard of from my father. He'd once told me that there was a woman who made illegal white liquor with some alcoholic plant she grew in her backyard and sold it at the Hob. She used to work in the mines but had to retire because she lost an arm in an accident. So to earn a living, she started making liquor. Our district's Old Drunk, Haymitch, and the Head Peacekeepers are her best customers. I didn't pay a lot of attention to her name when dad told me, thinking she was just a sick woman getting the district drunk, but maybe it was something like 'Rip' or something. That's a weird name, I know.

Catnip nudges on my hand, and I realize she had been telling me something that I had been too lost in thought to hear.

"Did you hear what I just said?" she asks me and I just shake my head as I am again too preoccupied by two peacekeepers walking straight for us. One is a woman, maybe in her mid-twenties with short, brown hair. The other is a man – no, more like a boy. He's not more than eighteen at all costs. He has messy, red hair and a mischievous look on his face.

But, they're coming right for us. Maybe they just got the news that Catnip and I hunt and are coming to arrest us. Maybe they'll kill us. What about our families, then? They'd probably starve to death without us. Okay, maybe my family will be able to barely scrap by with my mother's laundry business, but what about Catnip's family? Okay, just Prim, to be more precise. Catnip told me she's not even talking to her mother after that fight the other day.

When Catnip notices those two peacekeepers, she doesn't even seem affected by them approaching her when she has illegal stuff on her. Instead, much to my shock and horror, she takes a couple of steps towards them. What? Why is she walking to her own death? The peacekeepers here do not seem to mind sitting in a black market, yes. But I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be thrilled by the idea of two minors hunting off Capitol land. They're gonna kill us. And honestly, I know my family wouldn't be able to properly survive without me, I just do not want to die just yet.

I mean, I'm not even fifteen yet. My fifteenth birthday is a month and a half away. And yes, I know it's selfish, but I don't want to die without kissing the girl I love at least once. Yes, I want to kiss my Catnip at least once before either of us die, and I can't see that happening anytime soon since she's just twelve, and well, she's just walking to her death. And if she gets caught, I get caught too. No, I don't want to die and neither do I want Catnip to.

That's when I lose it. The only thing on my mind right now is that we need to get as far away from this bloody warehouse as possible and I just know this much that Catnip's not gonna get convinced easily. She's going to be stubborn, like she always is. So, I do the only thing I can think of. I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder as she screams, and walk out.

"Gale! Put me down!" She yells as she struggles under my grip, but I'm not letting her go until we're a safe distance from that warehouse they call the Hob.

When we finally get a safe distance away, I finally put her down, look at her. Her face is red with anger and her grey eyes are stormy with rage. Okay, maybe this picking her up and walking out of the Hob wasn't the best move.

"What was that for?!" She yells at me, and I think I don't even look surprised by it; it was already anticipated.

"The peacekeepers," I hiss at her "They were coming right for us. They could have caught us, _killed_ us. And let's be honest, Catnip, neither of us want to die just yet. What about our families?" I thought she'd be angrier at my explanation, but instead, she looks betrayed and hurt. What is this, now?

"What did you think?" Hurt is evident in her voice and I still don't understand why she's feeling that way. I feel bad for hurting her, but somehow, I can't say that what I did was incorrect. We _needed_ to get away from those damn peacekeepers, and we both know that's true. "What did you think, huh?" She shoves me hard in the chest. I don't reply, though. I still don't understand why she's behaving this way. All hurt and accusing. It's not like her to do that. When she senses she's not getting a reply, she continues speaking in that hurt tone that breaks my heart. "You thought I was going to betray you. You thought I was going to turn you in to peacekeepers. Get you killed? But no!" She's outright yelling at me now. Good thing I took her to a sort of secluded place, or else, we would've had the attention of a good crowd. "I knew what I was doing! And do you really think I would report you after you save my life _twice?_ I thought we trusted each other, Gale. I really thought we did." She sounds desperate and hurt now, and it pains me a lot, because yes, what she is saying is true. The thought of her turning me in did cross my mind. And now I understand why she's hurt, and she has every reason to. So I don't stop her, or counter her. I just take whatever she has to yell at me with a grimace because I deserve it. I have hurt the girl I love. "Those peacekeepers are my best customers, and I just wanted you to meet them." With this, she walks away and sits on the edge of the street, her head in her hands.

I need to do something. I _know_ I need to do something, say something – _anything._ I need to clear this mess I've made. I don't want to end our friendship, whether I love her or not. She's my only real friend aside from Thom, who don't really care about how I look; they only care about how I really am. And I don't want to lose her.

I slowly, carefully walk towards her and crouch down beside her. Then, I gently pry her hands off of her face and lift her head up with a hand under her chin, forcing her to look at me.

"What?" She asks in a weary voice.

"Catnip," I start gently, "I didn't mean it that way. I trust you. I trust you a lot. It was just that I didn't know that they didn't care if we hunt. I thought we were in danger, so I overreacted. I'm so sorry, Catnip. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She looks at me straight in the eye, and I see a single tear trying to break free. Did I hurt her this much? It's only twice that I've seen her cry. Once, on the night of the accident, and I really don't think it counts, even. Even _I_ cried that day. And second, after that fight with her mother, when she clung to me and then cried herself to sleep. So, I guess it really takes her a lot to get teary. And she's doing just that – trying to fight back tears – because of me. I really don't want her to cry. So I wrap my arms around her and she does the same, burying her face in my chest.

"Don't do that again," she mumbles through my shirt.

"Never. I promise." I whisper.

We just there like that for god knows how long, but I can't say I mind. After all, the girl I love is in my arms and we somehow managed to maintain our friendship through a god awful fight that I don't want to repeat, considering we both are bad at forgiving.

Finally, I get up and help Catnip up, too. She still looks a little sad but I know she's going to be fine a few minutes. She's good at ignoring her emotions. It's not the best thing I would recommend someone to do when they are sad or something, but with Catnip, I've noticed that she rarely shows any emotions when inside the district. When she's in the woods, it's like she becomes more of a human than a robot that she usually is. But somehow, even inside the district, when she's alone with me, she reveals her emotions. Sometimes, I feel like she just shows her vulnerable side to me, and I'm glad I can be there for her.

"Will you show me around the Hob, now?" I ask her, trying to lighten the mood.

"Sure," she replies and we start walking in the direction we just came from. There is a heavy silence lingering between us, and I don't like it at all. Even long stretches of silence have never been uncomfortable between us, but now it is. We walk for a few minutes before I decide to do something about it. I really hate being uncomfortable around her. I mean, other than Thom and my mother, who understands me? No one. Except for my Catnip. And I hate us being this way. I decide to make some stupid joke about my over impulsiveness (which is the real cause of this situation) but obviously, just like always, Catnip beats me to it. She must sense what I do, too. "You wouldn't carry me out this time, would you?" she asks in a teasing tone. I can't help but laugh, and much to my delight, she laughs along with me.

We walk for another few minutes, and we're just a few meters away from the Hob, when Catnip stops me with her hand on my arm. She turns to me and looks at me right in the eye. Her grey eyes bore into my identical ones. "It's my fault; don't blame yourself." She states matter-of-factly. Did she realise that I have been blaming myself for the fight that happened? But why does she think all this is _her_ fault? Isn't it evident it is mine?

"It _is_ my fault, Catnip," I sigh. "Why would you think it is yours?"

"Because, Gale," she looks guilty now. "I didn't tell you in advance. I should have told you before we went inside, but I forgot."

"Catnip…it's-" I start, meaning to assure that this is not her fault. C'mon, forgetting is human nature, isn't it? But being the person my little, stubborn Catnip is, she abruptly cuts me off.

"Don't you dare say 'it's okay,' because it's not." She gives me a small, sad smile. "Hell, I should have learnt from my own example." Then she looks down at her shoes sheepishly. I immediately know she had something in the past that was either too girly or too kid-ish. At twelve, she thinks she's a grown up woman and is not at all like other girls. But, I know better than that. I know it's not a secret that what she's doing for her family is anything less than sacrificing her life, and she's earned a lot of respect from the people of this district as well. I get respect too, but not as much as she does. For one, she's two years younger than me; and two, I still have my mother. Most of my family's resources come from me, but my mother still runs her laundry business and she's there for supporting me. Catnip's mother is not. But above all that, the people in the district see her as an emotionless person. But I am the one who sees her in the woods, where she transforms from an emotionless person she has become after her father's death to the real Catnip. The one who's a real girl. Like, maybe she doesn't realise it herself, but she loves all beautiful things. Like a beautiful sunset, or the entire woods covered with a later of white snow, or pretty flowers, or the view of the valley from the rock. She doesn't want to accept this, but I see the look of pure satisfaction and joy on her face when she sees such things. It's weird, these things make her happy but she doesn't realise it. I sometimes get the feeling that she doesn't want to be happy, so she keeps denying it. You know, I feel like I know her better than she knows herself.

"What had happened, Catnip?" I ask, taking the opportunity to lighten the mood. She smiles a sheepish smile that makes my heart melt and continues staring at her shoes. She doesn't reply, though. But, you know what? I'm just as stubborn as my Catnip, maybe more, so I press her to tell me. I think it's doing the trick, because we're both smiling, but I still want the answer, more out of curiosity now, I guess.

"Nothing," she mumbles in the end. God, she looks so adorable when she's like that. Wait, I think she's always adorable. I've observed myself thinking she's adorable at many occasions, now. Like when she's angry, or sad, or smiling like an idiot, or when she's like this – embarrassed.

"Tell me," I still insist. She looks up from her shoes at me and looks defeated.

"Fine," She huffs. "I'll tell you the story." She says and I flash her a victorious grin. "Do you know? When I first came to the Hob, I was seven. Well, we all know from a young age that peacekeepers can mean death. I had come with my father, and he didn't bother to tell me that there would be peacekeepers in there, who didn't actually do their Capitol duties. We had wild game on us, and when I saw them, I thought they were going to kill us, which is probably what you thought at first. So, I…" her voice trails off. I know that the most interesting and embarrassing (just for Catnip) part of the story is about to come. And I'm genuinely curious now. I have no guess what she had done, and I want to know. "I started crying." She tells me finally and doesn't meet my eye, clearly embarrassed at herself.

"Aw, Catnip, that was cute." I comment playfully and we walk into the Hob.

I do a second round of surveying the entire warehouse, still looking warily at the peacekeepers' table in the centre. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the two peacekeepers who were approaching us before coming towards us again. Despite all the fighting and explaining, I don't understand why I have to fight an urge to repeat my actions and flee. When those two peacekeepers come near us, Catnip gives them a halfway genuine smile and greets them.

"Hi, Purnia," she says and the woman waves at her. They finally reach where we are standing, the boy gives my Catnip a flirtatious grin. I feel anger course through me. How _dare_ he do that?

"Hello, Little Girl," The Purnia woman says, then looks at me. "Looks like you have a friend with you, today."

"Oh, yes," Catnip looks at me, smiling. "This is Gale. We hunt together," She tells them.

"Hello," I say, sticking out my hand for her to shake. She takes it and gives it one firm shake. I completely ignore that red-headed boy beside Purnia, still a little mad at him. It's not just because I love Catnip, but she's just _twelve_, and that's the only reason why I don't flirt with her myself, and I'm her friend. I don't even know who he is and how he knows Catnip, but I can guess that she hasn't met him before by the way she didn't even greet him. It's her tendency to ignore people she doesn't know.

"Hello, Boy," she greets me back and then turns to Catnip. "Oh, Katniss, I want you to meet someone, too!" she exclaims and motions towards the redhead. "This is Darius."

"Hi," Darius greets my Catnip flirtatiously. "You must be the famous huntress." He muses.

"Hello, Darius," Catnip greets back formally, completely ignoring his flirting and willing to come straight to business. _That's my Catnip._

"Do you have any rabbits, today, Katniss?" Purnia questions Catnip.

"Yes, how many do you want?" she replies. She then turns to me, rises on her tip toes and _tries_ to whisper in my ear, because with me being too tall and her being too short, she only reaches my neck even when on her toes. "Watch," she whispers.

"Two," Purnia states, holding up two fingers.

"Six coins each," Catnip states her price, and my eyes widen in surprise. Six? I only get three coins for each rabbit when I trade with Rooba. The price Catnip is demanding is double than what I get. Well, I guess trading at the Hob is definitely appealing.

"Four," Purnia shoots back. Catnip shakes her head. "Five?"

"Deal." She pulls out two rabbits from her game bag and hands them to Purnia as she gives her ten coins. Then Catnip tugs on my hand while Purnia and that Darius boy I still don't like walk away. "See, this is how you trade here." She tells me. "Declare a price higher than normal, and then the customer will try to bring it down, but you still agree on a price slightly higher than normal. Like, when I first started trading here, the average price for my rabbits was four coins, but now, I usually bargain it to five. Soon, five would become normal and I would start demanding six."

Damn, I have to say, this girl is pretty smart. No, correction – pretty _and_ smart.

Catnip starts walking and I follow behind her like a lost puppy. She leads me through a thick crowd of people, and I just take her hand in mine so that I don't get lost in here. I never want to let go of that beautifully scarred, small hand, but once we reach our destination, she drops mine. When she does, I realise I had been staring at our linked hands and look up to see who she's taken me to. It's the old lady with the big pot on her counter.

"Hi, Sae," Catnip greets the old lady, Sae, I guess.

"You're late, Little Girl," Sae points an accusing finger at Catnip.

"Not my fault, Sae," she shrugs. "Blame him," she points at me. Sae chuckles.

"You first time coming to our lovely market, I see." She looks at me, then, almost examining me. Then her eyes widen in what I can guess is surprise and she gasps. "Chris Hawthorne's son?"

Now it's my turn to widen my eyes and gasp unbelievingly. How does she know my father? And how does she know I'm his son?

"Yes?" I croak out through my shock.

"Oh, don't be so shocked, boy," Sae chuckles, "I knew your father personally." She tells me. Oh, yeah. Now this kind of makes sense. My father used to trade at the Hob, and Fred and him used to trade together. And, I can guess that Fred is the one who taught Catnip how to trade, and if Catnip is trading with Sae, then Fred and dad used to trade with her too. Sae was my dad's customer before he died.

"I'm Greasy Sae," she tells me, shaking my hand from across the counter.

"Gale Hawthorne," I introduce myself, even though I don't think there's a need to.

"Sae, we have one rabbit to trade," Catnip tells her. "Do you want it?"

"Sure, Little Girl," Sae says kindly, "State your price."

"Five coins and two bowls of soup." She says firmly.

"Fine," Sae agrees too quickly, I guess, because Catnip looks surprised herself. Sae pours some green looking soup into two bowls and plops two spoons in them before sliding them across the counter towards us. She hands Catnip the money and takes the lone rabbit from her. After the trade is done, Catnip and I settle on some stools behind the counter to eat. I pick up my spoon, which is filled with soup halfway to my mouth when Catnip stops me.

She leans up a bit and whispers into my neck, as whatever she does, she can never reach my ear without me bending down. "This is _Greasy Sae's _soup. If you can stomach this, you can stomach _anything._"

I laugh. I don't think this soup can be _that_ awful. "Let's try," I smirk and slurp out of my spoon. As soon as the warm liquid touches my tongue, I almost spit it out. I realise I am right. This soup is not awful, it's _disgusting._ I can feel my face scrunching up in a sour expression, and Catnip laughs. Unlike earlier today, her laughter sounds melodic and I can't help but smile internally.

"Told ya'," she laughs, taking a sip of her own soup. "It tastes extra awful the first time." She tells me.

"How do you eat it?" I ask her in disbelief. There are at least ten people at Sae's stall, and they're all having their soup with satisfaction on their faces.

"You'll get used to it. It's like liquor; you don't like the taste at first, but then you start liking it." She tells me.

Curiosity erupts within me. "How do you know that liquor tastes bad, Catnip?" I ask her, "Have you ever tasted it yourself?" She turns red with embarrassment. Now I know she has.

She looks down into her bowl and quickly begins eating, completely ignoring my question. But I'm a stubborn person, especially when I'm curious, so I press her to tell me.

"Yes," she finally confesses. "Have you ever seen it?" I nod, "It looks like water. So we always had some liquor at home for mom to use for her medical purposes, and one day she had a patient who needed it in some tea. I was only ten back then. Mom forgot to put it inside the locked cabinet where she still keeps it so that Prim or I cannot reach it. There was a full glass of it kept on the kitchen counter and I was thirsty. I thought it was water and drank it without thinking. Only when the entire, big glass of liquor was inside me, I noticed the burning pain in my throat. I don't exactly remember what happened next, and the next thing I remember was waking up the next night with a really bad headache, then puking and then crying in dad's arms because it hurt a lot. Dad was really angry with mom that night…" she concludes finally.

Well, I'm literally trying to wrap my head around this tale. Okay, a ten-year-old drinks liquor thinking it is water and then doesn't remember anything about her drunken adventure. The next thing that she remembers is her hangover. Conclusion: Catnip has a really low tolerance for alcohol.

We finish our soup (I do it with a bit of difficulty) and then scurry out of the Hob. Once we're out, Catnip hands me two rabbits and eight coins, saying it is my share of the trade. We start walking towards town to trade the squirrels with the baker, and after a few silent minutes of walking, I break the silence.

"Catnip, can I ask you something?" I say, planning to ask her a thing that has been bugging me for a while now.

"Hmm?"

"I had an idea in mind…" I hesitate a bit, not knowing how she'll react.

"Shoot, Idiot," she says without looking up at me.

"I thought that maybe we could…you know, trade together?" I ask the last part in a low voice. Catnip's face lights up, and she beams at me.

"That is a wonderful idea, Gale," she exclaims, "We can trade together at the Hob, and then split the profits – just the way we did today. We can even make more money this way-" I cut her off.

"How?" I ask her.

"The people at the Hob seem to like you." she tells me, "I didn't have to haggle a lot to get a good price today."

"Whatever," I reply, not believing her. Why would those people like me? Maybe it's just something to do with my father being a regular at the Hob. I decide to ask another question that has been in my mind, though this one is out of pure curiosity. "Catnip, why were the people at the Hob calling you 'Little Girl'?"

She smiles a little, and then looks up at me with a distant look, as if remembering something good. "I told you I was seven when I first went there, right? Because I was so young back then, and was probably the youngest person at the Hob at that time, Sae nicknamed me that, and then the rest of them just started calling me that as well." She lets out a small laugh, "Seriously, I don't understand why they still call me that. I'm not a 'little girl' anymore."

I laugh. We're almost at the baker's now. Honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to count the number of shards that Mellark boy's heart will break into when he sees _my_ Catnip, whom he thinks is his, with me.

Catnip and I enter the bakery together, and the first thing I notice – after the delicious smell of baking bread, obviously – is that Peeta Mellark is sitting on the counter with a sketch pad and pencil in hand, clearly drawing something.

He looks up when he hears the door opening for us, and his eyes widen in shock. _Nice, I like it._ His usually smiling features (like his father's) darken almost immediately, and I can't hold back the wide smirk that spreads across my lips.

"Is Mr. Mellark here to trade?" Catnip asks him awkwardly, without any greetings to acknowledge him. Peeta's face lights up when he realises that she's talking to _him._ I sometimes like comparing myself with him. When Catnip is with me, she is a completely different person, one who's more alive and smiles. Around Peeta, she's _awkward._

"Hi, Katniss," He greets her with a big grin on his face, then looks at me, and his expression darkens once again. "Gale," he greets me coldly, but I don't mind the least bit. I return it with a smirk.

"Is Mr. Mellark here?" Catnip asks again, slightly annoying. I think I can read her like a book right now. She doesn't want to waste time on stupid greetings from some stupid baker's kid. She just wants to trade quickly and return home to her little sister.

"I'll get him," Peeta says quickly, hopping off the counter and scampering into the kitchen. He's left his sketchbook on the counter. Out of curiosity, I stride over to where it's kept and pick it up to take a look at his drawing. It's only half finished, but it doesn't take me more than a second to realise what he's drawn. It's Catnip.

It's a scene from the school lunch room, and Catnip is sitting at her usual table with Madge Undersee, eating an apple. I realise that it's what he must have seen today in the lunch room, since in the picture, Catnip is wearing the same clothes she'd worn to school today, and I'd visited her during break today, only to discover that she hadn't had anything other than an apple since she'd slid her portion to Prim.

"What're you looking at?" The voice I'd recognise anywhere asks from behind me. I really don't want Catnip to see this. It's because of two reasons. One – it's my own, personal jealousy. If Catnip sees it, she'd know that Peeta has a thing for her and that may open up a chance for him, and I obviously don't want that. And two – if it does not give him a chance with her (which is more likely), she'd get really awkward and would stop coming the bakery at all. And I have to say, that sweet baker is the best person to trade squirrels with.

"Nothing," I say nonchalantly, "Just some drawing."

"What's it about?" she asks me. Why the hell is she so curious suddenly?

"It doesn't seem complete." I lie, "I can't make anything out."

"Right," she dismisses the topic, much to my relief. Then she begins to pace around. "Why is the baker taking so long?" she complains.

Just as she says this, the baker comes out of the door with Peeta on his tail and gives us both a genuine smile.

"Finally, the hunter and huntress meet, huh?" He asks after shooting a pitiful glance at his youngest son.

"Yeah," Catnip mumbles, and then comes straight to business. "We have three squirrels, Mr. Mellark."

"Sure, girl," Catnip hands him the squirrels and he gives her two loaves of bread – the standard trade.

"All shot through the eye…" Peeta says in fascination as the baker keeps the squirrels on the counter.

"Catnip's speciality," I boast with a proud smile on my face, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Catnip?" Peeta asks.

"That's what I call her," I look down at her. "Right, Catnip?"

"Right." She confirms with a small smile directed towards me, and I can see Peeta's face fall. "But stop singing my praises." She scolds me in a light-hearted way.

Both of us turn on our heel to exit the bakery, when Peeta calls in a child-like manner. "Hope to see you soon!"

_No, stupid. I never want to see you again, but I would, because your father is a good man and gives me a fair trade, _I think to myself and slightly scowl at Peeta, while Catnip just looks a little annoyed. I can understand that. She wants to get back home to Prim as soon as possible, just like I want to go home to my family, and Peeta Mellark is an obstruction to that.

_Trade – it's a simple thing, really. You give something and then you take something. And for my Catnip, everything is a trade. Just a mere give and take. She taught me how to trade properly today. She's much better at it than I am. Maybe that's another one of her specialities. If that's so, then maybe someday, she'll understand the meaning of love in her own manner. _

_One day, she'll understand that love is like a trade where people who care about each other give them affection, protection and something that can only be defined as _love_, and give the same to each other. _

_Maybe someday, she'll also understand that love is a kind of trade that you can't live without. It's a trade that is so necessary that when you don't give it or receive it, you feel hollow. Someday, she'll understand in her own manner…_

**Quiz Time!**

**Question – What is the actual name of the one-armed woman at the Hob?**


End file.
